Five in a row: Pittsburg crushes Cardinal Newman to claim latest NCS D1 crown

PLEASANT HILL — By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the field at Diablo Valley College looked less like the site of a championship game and more like the aftermath of the demolition. 

Visors and mouthpieces were scattered across the turf after a barrage of Pittsburg hits. 

On the Pittsburg sideline, players doubled over in laughter, swapping smiles as the clock wound down on another statement night. 

And when the final horn sounded, a bucket of lime gatorade found its way to Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez’s shoulders, sealing a celebration that felt as similar as it was emphatic. 

It was a good ole’ fashioned Pittsburg thrashing. 

For the fifth straight year, Pittsburg hoisted the North Coast Section Division I trophy as the Pirates overwhelmed Cardinal Newman 42-17. Pittsburg dictated the game’s terms from the opening series, turned loose its playmakers on both sides of the ball and never let the Cardinals come within striking distance of stealing away the Division I crown en route to a running-clock win. 

“It’s been a long process, but at the end of the day this is what we’ve been preaching for honestly the last 10-plus years,” Ramirez, whose team bounced back after a close loss to De La Salle in the NCS Open Division championship last week, said. “Our objective ever since the state playoffs came about is we’re going to do everything we can to try and get to a state title game.”

For Ramirez, the win cemented a legacy that was not built on flash, but on the grit that has defined Pittsburg for generations. 

“One of the things about Pittsburg is that it’s the blue-collar way,” Ramirez said. “But at the end of the day, it’s that grit and it’s that determination and it’s that relentless to compete. That’s what 100 years of Pittsburg football has been about. Whether or not they’ve been here their entire lives or their family’s been here, it’s all the same type of families. It’s all the same culture, and we just feed off of each other, and this team is no different.”

Quarterback Javale Jones completed 18-of-31 for 255 yards, three touchdowns and one interception – all in the first half. Sophomore speedster Kenneth Ward totaled 133 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. 

Cardinal Newman came into Friday’s game shorthanded with starting quarterback Tino Retamoza and defensive lineman King Pitts, who were unavailable with injuries. Running back Malakai Pathoumnourack played a few snaps in the fourth quarter, but was unable to play a full game, dealing with an ankle ailment suffered in Cardinal Newman’s win over Acalanes in last week’s semifinals. 

Pittsburg elected to defer to start the game, and Cardinal Newman made the most of its opportunity. The Cardinals completed a 12-play drive that ended with a 20-yard field goal from junior kicker Devon Taylor. 

But it was all Pittsburg from there.

Jones found wide receiver Ramire Lewis, who sped past Cardinal Newman defenders from 37-yard score to put Pittsburg on the board.  

After a few stalled possessions, Pittsburg’s offense found its rhythm again in the second quarter. 

Sophomore Deveon Wilson put the Pirates up 10 points on a 38-yard catch-and-run. Ward ballooned Pittsburg’s lead to 17 just before halftime when he caught a screen pass and took it 22 yards to the house.

After their first drive, the Cardinals went three-and-out on every possession following and totaled just 92 yards of offense.

Any chance the Cardinals had of making a comeback dissipated in the third quarter. 

Senior quarterback Carlos Torres took over the offense in the second half and led Pittsburg to a nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to King Wade. 

After forcing another three-and-out, Torres put the final nail in the coffin when he found Ward on a laser over the middle for a 42-yard score. 

Torres finished completing 8-of-10 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns – all in the third quarter. 

With an insurmountable 39-point lead, a running clock ensued in the fourth quarter. Ramirez cleared his benches in the final period, and Cardinal Newman took advantage with two quick scores. 

But it was too late. 

Time ran out and Pittsburg hoisted another NCS Division I trophy. 

Seniors RJ Mosley and Truly Bell, both committed to play Division I football next season, won their fourth consecutive Division I title. Both players were the senior leaders for a team that lost nearly every starter from last year’s state championship game run.