WSL Athletics Regular Season Finale Review/Playoffs Preview
“Coalinga completes comeback, Mendota and Tranquillity earn big wins”
By: Kevin Arias-Romero, WSL Athletics Editor-in-Chief & WSL Contributor, The Pagmeter

Mendota and Firebaugh embarked on another annual Battle of 33 with Mendota coming in with a 6-3 record and 2-2 in WSL play and Firebaugh were hoping to finish the regular season at .500 with a 5-5 record and also 2-2 in WSL play. Both teams were borderline between Division 5 and 6 for playoff seeding with odds being that the winner would end up in Division 5 and the loser would drop into Division 6 which was indeed the case last season when Firebaugh defeated Mendota and the next day when the bracket was released Firebaugh ended up traveling as a low double-digit seed in Division 5 eventually losing to Liberty-Madera Ranchos in the first round and Mendota earned a top 4 seed in Division 6 with The Aztecs making it all the way to the Division 6 Section Title game where they would fall in a close game to the Strathmore Spartans. It was a close game throughout but Mendota took over late in the game and a once tied game would end up being a 42-27 victory for Mendota to reclaim the Highway 33 plaque and retain the Spirit Stick. Mendota would end up earning the #10 seed in Division 5 being matched up traveling to the #7 seed Selma Bears and Firebaugh would get the #4 seed and will host #13 Orange Cove this Friday for the first round of The 2024 CIF Central Section Playoffs. Mendota finished the regular season (7-3, 3-2 in WSL play for a 3rd place finish) and Firebaugh finished (4-6, 2-3 in WSL play for a 4th place finish).

Tranquillity and Avenal had in some form or another two things to play for. #1 to get their 3rd win thus qualifying for the postseason by meeting the minimum number of wins and #2 to get their 1st win in WSL play of the season. Avenal were the host as it was also Senior Night for the Buccaneers and were hoping that would fuel them to victory well at halftime they were ahead 21-8 then in the second half out of nowhere The Tigers of Tranquiility turned it around and would outscore Avenal 27-13 and would pull of the epic comeback win 35-34 to earn their 3rd win and qualified and indeed they opted to go into the playoffs where Tranquillity earned The #16 seed and will be off to #1 Minarets-O’Neals for their first round game this Friday Night while Avenal’s season is over at (2-8, 0-5 in WSL Play) which is a tough pill to swallow considering they went to playoffs and finished .500 in the regular season at (5-5) in the 2023/2024.

The WSL Championship Game was set up back in Week 10 when both Dos Palos and Coalinga earned respective wins against their opponents and both teams were going to participate with (4-0) WSL records. This year Coalinga played host putting their (9-0) record on the line as they hosted The Dos Palos Broncos who were looking to defend the crown they got last year against Coalinga at home in a nail biting thriller 22-21. Both teams had outstanding playmakers on their sides with Dos Palos having QB Earl Riley, Wide Receivers Jacquez Jones, Billy Scott, Sixto Ibarra, and Jesus Bon, Tight End Ace O’Banion, Running Backs Andre Flores, Nicolas Emery, Eric Franco, and John Snapp while Coalinga had their studs as well with QB Noah Tasi, Wide Receivers Gavin Watson, Dylan Teixeira, Drake Stevens, Andrew Garcia and Running Back duo Julius Borjas and Tyson Alvarado so how would this clash of the titans turn out to usher in the 1st day of November? Well it was a close battle throughout as defense and also penalties kept it a low-scoring affair at halftime with Dos Palos getting on the board thanks to a 38yd touchdown grab by Billy Scott and 2nd half comes around and Coalinga would get on the board thanks to Kicker Ernesto Villanueva for drilling a 30yd Field Goal to cut into the deficit 7-3 and later on Coalinga would strike again with a 70yd Punt Return TD by Dylan Teixeira and the score suddenly gave Coalinga their first lead of the game 10-7. Dos Palos would counter with a 53yd TD catch and run by Jacquez Jones helping The Broncos retake the lead 14-10 and then Special Teams would come handy after the Coalinga defense pinned Dos Palos deep inside their own 5-yard line and Coalinga Freshman Linebacker Gracin Redding comes up with a huge block in which his team would recover it inside the 5-yard line and two plays later Coalinga QB Noah Tasi rushed it in from 4yds out for the go-ahead touchdown 17-14. But Dos Palos did have one more chance to win it with less than a minute and a half to go and they were driving down the field when Dos Palos Earl Riley throw into coverage and Coalinga’s Jaden Pena came up with the game-winning interception which allowed his team to get one more first down to wind the clock down with the next play being a kneel down to officially complete the comeback thus getting revenge and redemption and winning The WSL Championship which is the school’s 3rd title since joining The WSL back in 2012 and The 2nd under Coalinga Head Coach Jose Piz. Coalinga would end up surprisingly earning The #3 seed in Division 4 where most analysts had them earning The #2 seed either way Coalinga will host a familiar foe on Friday Night and that’s The #14 seed Washington Union Panthers who back on September 6th battled it out with Coalinga only to end up falling 37-24. Dos Palos with the loss got bumped down a few spots thus earning The #7 seed and will host #10 seed South Bakersfield on Friday Night.

WSL Athletics Postgame interview with Coalinga Head Coach Jose Piz, 2024 WSL Championship Game vs. Dos Palos 11/1
KR: What was the week leading up to game day like for you
JP: We needed to be consistent on all facets of the football game and didn’t execute how we wanted to in the 1st half, But made up for it later on as our special teams came in clutch and our defense was lights out and I think tonight that’s what we showed and we came out. A lot of respect to Dos Palos and Head Coach Calvert and his staff they did such a great job getting ready for this game and they’re such a familiar foe and the kids have grown up their whole lives going up against them and what a way to end the regular season then in this fashion and again a lot of respect to those Dos Palos kids and the team they came out and played hard.

KR: What was the message to the team at halftime especially after you had two touchdowns called back due to penalties and being down 7-0?
JP: We needed to finish drives, get first downs and get the ball to our side of the field and our defense came through which then allowed our offense to do their job.
KR: Talk to me about the last possession in which Senior Free Safety Jaden Pena would come up with the game winning interception and also when Freshman Linebacker Gracin Redding blocking the punt inside Dos Palos’ 5 yard line which two plays later allowed Senior QB Noah Tasi to take it in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown?
JP: Honestly that whole minute plus of football told the story of how these kids play they play lights out and it’s a testament to what our coaches do during the week and our kids are also patient waiting for their opportunity like Gracin Redding with the blocked punt and Jaden Pena is used to being in that position and he came up with the ball and the rest is history.

KR: Most people called this season for you guys The Revenge Tour including myself, would you consider calling it a Revenge Tour after what happened last year?
JP: I don’t know if I would necessarily call it revenge more like motivation to get better as a team and work on the small things, last year penalties killed us and they were self-inflicted and this year was a much more clear and clean way of playing and our kids took it to heart and they hold each other accountable and it shows on the field on Friday nights.

KR: Now the waiting game begins as the game is over with the bracket being released tomorrow (Nov. 2nd) afternoon, and last year you made it to the Quarterfinals in which you would fall to eventual champions Matilda Torres-Madera who this season will not be going to the postseason. You’re a projected top two seed in Division 4, what will it be like to find out your upcoming opponent in the 1st round?
JP: Honestly just to be patient whoever we get in the first round we have to do our job and be on point, it’s another week of football it’s another week of life where everybody comes in (0-0) and we know this group knows what it takes and hopefully shows whoever shows up what we are all about.
KR: Now that the regular season which for you really began during the summer around June-July has come to an end in November, What are your thoughts on how it all played out?
JP: It’s a roller coaster with your highs and lows but the goals are the same and you keep your focus on what you’re trying to achieve and that’s what you go for?

KR: Anything you want to say to my boss Pagmeter about your win tonight and your upcoming playoff run?
JP: We’re just looking to keep playing with our kids being hungry and want to keep going and they know that this is it and after this there’s no coming back and they have something to play for and that’s what we’re about.
WSL Athletics Postgame interview with Coalinga Senior QB Noah Tasi, 2024 WSL Championship Game vs. Dos Palos 11/1
KR: How does it feel finishing the season as undefeated WSL Champions and finishing the regular season undefeated?
NT: You know like I was telling you earlier it’s personal for me the whole game was personal, coming from last year not having the best game and losing in their house to be able to come back this year and know how much this game means. And we know we’re the better team because we really fought and it was just a more personal thing and it really hit home emotionally, especially running that last touchdown in coming off the field and you see me celebrating and you can tell how emotional that touchdown was for me. And our defense came through in the end and our mentality this year was “Bend but don’t break” and like you said we’re a 2nd half team and we showed that tonight.

KR: What was the atmosphere in the lockers at the half and did you have a chance to speak to your team?
NT: The whole thing was you know going into half as you saw I was the first off the field and needed some time to think to myself and gather my thoughts to not speak impulsively, And I was getting déjà vu from last year with our lineman and others playing the blame game pointing fingers and being mad at each other. And I told them this happened last year and we had thrown helmets on the sidelines we had arguing between position players, lineman, and even coaches and that’s not a recipe for success at all, And I told them we cannot self-implode we got to have each other’s back and we speak all this game about loving each other we got each other’s backs so where’s that now and we have to show it, And I’m a man of my word and I try to be true of what I speak. And right before that last touchdown as soon as the punt was blocked as you saw we don’t ever huddle but I got my team together real quick and I was like “remember what that felt like last year, in their house losing in their house crying and being upset? Dig deep, find that feeling, find the pain and use it to drive you.” And ultimately we got it in the end zone and it was a really emotional moment for us.

KR: What did that moment feel like as the clock was winding down and you got the first down and then kneeled it afterwards and everyone was ready to start the party?
NT: As soon as I took that knee after helping (Juju) Senior Running Back Julius Borjas with all the lineman helping him out and that sums it up in itself, We love each other and going back to that “Bend but not break” mentality in which we did bend but didn’t break and we had each other’s back and taking that final knee looking into the crowd seeing everyone up jumping up and down cheering and it brought me back to my sophomore year when we also won it here and it’s
definitely up there for one of my top football memories for sure without a doubt.
KR: This was your last regular season home game as a senior and now it’s your last playoff run with your team and you’re now a two-time league champion. What’s your thought process and if you had a chance to soak it in?
NT: Yeah definitely going into this game and we didn’t want it to be this close but DP (Dos Palos) came to play for sure and they knew what was at stake and we’re definitely thinking about playoff seeding and I was present in this moment being senior night and WSL Championship Game with a possibility of being a high seed and be able to run it through Coalinga and it’s sweet thinking and hoping that we can run the playoffs through Coalinga as long as we continue to do what we do and have each other’s backs like we do.

KR: I’ve had the privilege of seeing top quality players coming through this league in my 12 years covering this league from Josh Allen in Firebaugh and Edgar Segura in Mendota and also in recent years with players like Peyton Van Worth in Dos Palos along with Jacquez Jones, Billy Scott, Sixto Ibarra and yourself and Donovan Urbina, Gus Alvarado, Gavin Watson, Dylan Teixeira and do the job that the well-known outlets don’t have much time for which is giving attention to the schools and players out here in the Westside and look forward to seeing what can happen with the teams in our league competing this postseason.
NT: I one hundred percent appreciate what you do and you’re the voice for us and you give us a platform that a lot of the bigger media teams like you said don’t have time for and it doesn’t go unnoticed you know and you also know we’re cool with each other and we’re homies and I appreciate everything you’ve been doing for me, for my team you know putting me on the map really giving me a shot and showing other colleges teams and media teams and everybody else that I can play and like I said it doesn’t go unnoticed.

The Coalinga Horned Toads would end up earning the #3 seed in the Division 4 CIF Central Section Football Playoffs and will host #14 Seed Washington Union-Easton this Friday as these two teams met back on September 27th at John Ventura Stadium in Easton in which Coalinga held off a competitive Union squad and would walk away with only their 3rd close victory in terms of their margin of victory with a 37-24 score which for those of you folks trying to do the math at home adds up to a 13 point win for Coalinga. They won three games by a total margin of 23 points, 9/6 @ Templeton (21-14, 7pt win), 9/27 @ Washington Union-Easton (37-24, 13pt win), and finally 11/1 vs. Dos Palos (17-14, 3pt win). They will await the winner of #6 Chowchilla who’s hosting #11 Cabrillo-Lompoc

2024 Final WSL Standings
Coalinga Horned Toads (10-0, 5-0 Undefeated Champions)
Dos Palos Broncos (6-4, 4-1 WSL Runner-Ups)
Mendota Aztecs (7-3, 3-2 WSL 3rd Place)
Firebaugh Eagles (4-6, 2-3 WSL 4th Place)
Tranquillity Tigers (3-7, 1-4 WSL 5th Place)
Avenal Buccaneers (2-8, 0-5 WSL 5th Place)

Well that wraps up the 2024 Regular Season with ups and downs and intriguing storylines all over the West Sierra League and beyond and it has been a pleasure to once again for my 12th year to cover them all as the Editor-in-Chief and WSL Contributor for one of if not the best Central Valley high school sports guru’s around Nick “The Pagmeter” Papagni who I am very lucky to call not only my boss but good friend who gave me the opportunity 6 years ago to be a writer under him and I’ll be always grateful. Good Luck to Coalinga, Dos Palos, Mendota, Firebaugh, and Tranquillty in their respective divisions and as always no matter what happens Go Bulldogs! Beat the Air Force Falcons!