Coach JC Clarke did some rebuilding to lead Northwood into CIF finals

Coach JC Clarke celebrated Northwood’s league title this season. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Reaching the CIF championship game wasn’t at the top of the list of goals for Northwood head football coach JC Clarke when he took the job in the summer.

“We thought we had a chance of winning league, I’m not sure we ever thought we had a chance of making the CIF finals,” he said. “Winning league was our number one goal and we got that, it’s been 18 years since Northwood won a league championship, so I’m happy for that.”

But it took some work to capture the Pacific Valley League crown and earn a spot in the Division 11 championship game Friday vs. Long Beach Jordan at Irvine Stadium.

Clarke had been a long-time assistant coach for Northwood and saw a need for some stability at a school which has seen numerous coaching changes. Justin Utupo was hired at Northwood to replace Mike Stewart, who resigned, but withdrew his name in May to take the head coaching job at Lakewood High.

The team had to cancel the final three games of the abbreviated spring season due to injuries.

So Clarke, who has retired as a teacher at Northwood and was planning to be an assistant with the football team again, decided to take the head job and the challenges that were ahead.

“I’m glad I came back, I’m glad the kids came back too and after the pandemic, I think we’ve had a really good year,” Clarke said Monday as he looked ahead to Friday’s CIF championship game. “It’s a great thrill and a good way to top off retirement.”

Clarke was the defensive coordinator in 2005 when the Timberwolves lost to Tesoro 27-6 in the CIF Division IX championship game, Northwood’s only other appearance in the finals. Rick Curtis, now the head coach at Crean Lutheran, was Northwood’s head coach.

Northwood advanced with a 16-12 semifinal victory over Del Lago, the second straight road playoff game. The Timberwolves had to rally from a 12-3 deficit top win it. Adam Harper scored a TD and Lucas Old kicked three field goals for Northwood.

“It was 12-3 last week and we fumbled on our first series and it wasn’t looking good, but the defense shut them out in the second half and we got a couple drives and came back and got them. That was a big comeback,” he said.

Clarke said the players, as they have all season, continued to buy in to what the coaches had planned.

“We just keep preaching the same thing,” Clarke said. “And eventually, the light went off on the kids and the kids believed in us and trusted us and that’s what you try and do as a teacher and a coach. You tell them what you want to do and try and get them to trust you and try to get them to be the best they can be.”

Northwood has Harper leading the offense, but the offensive and defensive has also stood out, Clarke said.

“We really think our offensive and defensive line has brought us a long ways,” Clarke said. “They were supposed to be the weak point coming into the season and we’re real proud of them right now. Adam is a great runner so he needs some blockers and they’ve done great, the whole offensive line and whole defensive line.”

Clarke is well aware of the talents that Jordan brings to the game. He coached at Long Beach Wilson for 15 years in the Moore League, the league Jordan is in.

He said Jordan has a big and talented offensive line.

“It will be a good match. Vista Del Lago was big last week, and these guys are big,” he said.

Clarke said the team will have a practice on Thursday morning which he calls the “Turkey Trot.”

He said the Northwood players and coaches are also looking forward to having a home game.

“We won the last two weeks on the road,” he said. “It will be a lot more comfortable and hopefully a lot more peope can get out to see the game. I’m really looking forward to our spouses and our children coming out to the game. Nobody wanted to go out to Riverside on a Friday night.”

Clarke was looking forward to some more practices.

“We’re looking forward to it, each week we’ve said we want to play one more Monday,” he said. “This will be the last Monday, so we’re going to make the most of it. We’re going to honor our seniors after the game, win or lose.”

Check back later this week for a feature on some standout Northwood players.

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

“