Middletown loses game but keeps victorious spirit

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — It went down as a 28-14 defeat to Fort Bragg (Calif.) on Friday night, but the Middletown (Calif.) football squad has a different definition of loss than most.

This was the Mustangs' first home game since the Valley Fire swept through the small, rural town and destroyed 1,280 homes, killed four people and hundreds of pets.

Now that's loss.

See how Middletown players and coaches respond to generosity surrounding the Valley Fire

The largest home crowd in the memory of 31-year coach Bill Foltmer, whom the stadium is named after, watched a bigger, stronger and more athletic team score 28 unanswered points after Middletown took a 7-0 lead.

Kaylor Sullivan, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound Fort Bragg quarterback, throw for three touchdowns and accounted for 223 yards. Lucas Triplett (6-2, 185) caught six passes and a touchdown, and Brett Jacomella (6-0, 213) and Trystin Strickland (6-2, 225) combined for 100 yards rushing and a score as the Timberwolves improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in North Central I play.

Middletown, which got 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns from spirited Coleman Drew (5-6, 145), dropped to 2-3, 2-1.

Considering the size and athletic differential and all that the Eagles have endured since Sept. 12, this one could have easily been more lopsided.

"It was a good night except we lost a football game," Foltmer said. "I love the turnout and community support. I feel bad we weren't able to get them a win. I knew it would be a tough game this week."

Fight on

All the weeks recently have been tough on Drew, whose family, including three brothers, a mom and dad, was one of seven football families that lost their home. Two assistant coaches, the school's athletic director and principal also had the fire destroy their homes.

Drew said he found out his house was destroyed from a photo someone had texted him.

"I didn't even know the person and I didn't even know it was our property," Drew said. "I didn't even recognize it. Then I spotted something in the photo I knew. I immediately started to tear up."

A total of 90 students at the school of 450 lost their place of residence due to the fire, which destroyed 1,958 structures overall and burned more than 75,000 acres in the Lake County communities of Cobb Mountain, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown.

"We're OK," Drew said. "We're a strong family. We'll fight through it."

Said 16-year Hidden Valley Lake resident Ron Hays: "Everybody here fights back."

Hays is the director of scouting for National Scouting Report Northern California. His son and daughter graduated from Middletown. Though his home was spared, he, like many, spent a cloudless 60-degree Friday night supporting his community, the Mustangs and the "Middletown Strong" cause.

Hays said there's an amount of survivor's guilt that has occurred for those whose homes were spared. He's been moved by the strength and outlook of those who lost virtually everything, especially his friend.

"He told me that along with their home they lost hundreds of memories," Hays said. "But he said he's prepared to build hundreds more."

Battalion Fire Chief Paul Duncan, whose son graduated from Middletown and whose two daughters are current Mustangs cheerleaders, lost the family home in the fire. He was busy fighting off fires for others that night and many days and nights to follow.

On Friday, he did what almost all locals do — check out the Mustangs.

"That's what we do here," he said. "The sense of community here is unreal. I've been to a lot of places, but this is amazing."

Hitting deep Foltmer described Friday's atmosphere the same way. He knew it would be, especially when the school planned its annual "Salute to America," always saved for homecoming, which was postponed this season until the end of the regular season due to the fire.

But with so many fans out Friday — the Middletown side was standing room only and held approximately 1,000 fans — the school pulled off its salute, which featured two rodeo queens riding horses in opposite directions around the track right before the national anthem.

The horses and riders are serenaded to Lee Greenwood's "Proud to Be an American" jingle, which caused Foltmer to well up.

"I get teared-up every time," said Foltmer, who has led the Mustangs to 18 league titles in 31 seasons and three North Coast Section titles. "It just hits me deep."

Much like it hits all the Mustangs just to be on the field, Drew said.

"We just have so much anger and anxiety to let out," he said. "It's so good to let it out on the green grass.

"Even though we didn't get the win, I know I'm going to walk out of here with my head all the way to the sky because I tried 110 percent."

And that's the only way to combat true loss, Drew said.

"Life gives you battles all the time. You just have to stomp right over them."

On Tuesday, look for a video feature on this game and Middletown's fighting spirit.