Despite team’s loss in regional final, Northwood Coach JC Clarke ‘enjoyed the journey’

Northwood Coach JC Clarke talks to his players after Saturday’s loss. (Photo: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

Northwood football coach JC Clarke left the field Saturday night disappointed in the final outcome of the CIF 5A Southern California Regional state bowl game, but still proud of his players.

The Timberwolves were hoping to add a state title to their list of accomplishments after winning the CIF Division 11 crown last week (the first in school history) but Righetti held on for a 14-7 victory at Irvine Stadium.

“I wish we hadn’t given up that last touchdown, we had them in a couple third and longs and they got it, it’s going to be my call for a long time, but these kids took us on a journey we’ve never been on: 15 games, 18 weeks, that’s a long time to be together five, six days a week and they’ll be glad to get rid of us for a while and we will sit down and look back and really realize how great this season was,” Clarke said.

“It was a great season and the kids did the best they could. That was a very good team we played. They played really good defense. Two good defensive teams and they won the game.”

Clarke addressed his players and wished the seniors well.

“We love them, we just love them and we enjoyed the journey and we hope they enjoyed the journey,” Clarke said. “That’s what every football season is, you don’t have to win the CIF championship to have a great journey, that’s what makes football so great because there are so many young men together. It’s the biggest team sport there is and they just have memories for a lifetime. These kids have some special memories for a lifetime.”

Long-time Northwood assistant coach Dean Toohey, a former head coach at Northwood, said it was the most memorable season for him in 22 years of coaching.

“To get a CIF championship, these guys did it, they came together, we had a lot of fun and we had a great coaching staff and these kids played hard and they believed and we took it week by week and we kept winning and we got to our goal of being CIF champions for the first time in school history,” Toohey said.

The Northwood players were disapponted in the outcome, but proud of the team’s season.

“We came out and played a good team,” said junior running back Adam Harper. “We gave it all we had but you win some and you lose some and this time we came out on the losing end.”

Harper rushed for 55 yards on 21 carries to lead his team and like the other games, played both ways, although he took one offensive series out after a hit. Harper did not indicate he was injured, he just needed a break.

“Playing both ways and running the ball a lot you get hit, but it’s all about bouncing back and I knew I had to come out and help my team but we came up short,” Harper said. “This team (Righetti) was very disciplined, they fly to the ball and they came at us …. and we just weren’t able to figure it out and get points on the board.”

“We didn’t dominate the blocks like we usually do,” Clarke added. “There weren’t the openings he (Harper) usually gets.”

But Harper, a junior this year, returns along with his younger brother Joseph (a freshman) and a number of other players, leaving Clarke optimistic about next season.,

“We got all our skilled guys back so we will be skillful but as you saw in a game like this, if you can’t block people, then you can’t score, so we will be working on that and working more on our passing game,” he said. “Both Harpers are coming back, the quarterback (Eugene Miyata) is coming back, receivers coming back, dbs coming back , linebackers coming back.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com