TURLOCK -- TURLOCK — If Pitman was playing with a chip on its shoulder, the extra weight didn't slow it down.
Feeling a little slighted about being dropped to a No. 7 seed despite going 9-1 and finishing second in the Central California Conference, the Pride went out Thursday night and dominated West High 35-14 at Joe Debely Stadium.
"People said a lot about us being 9-1 and only getting a No. 7 seed because we had a soft schedule, but there were no gimmes in our league this year," said Pitman coach Brandon Harris. "It's a better league than some people seem to realize."
There was nothing soft about the way Pitman advanced to the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 playoffs with the third postseason victory in school history.
The Pride did it with its defense and with a ground attack that spanked the Wolfpack for 405 rushing yards. Kody Brackett bulled for 187 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and Brent Nelle carried eight times for 97 yards, including scoring runs of 25, 55 and 4 yards.
Pitman now gets a full eight days to prepare for its second round game a week from tonight, but so will its host. No. 2 seed Pleasant Grove also played Thursday, advancing with a 57-14 win over Rodriguez.
The victory also broke a bit of an historic playoff slide for the Pride, which had lost previous postseason meetings to West in 2004 and 2005 — both with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback.
Brackett's final scoring run gave Pitman a 35-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Pride probably would have been gunning for a shutout victory at that point, but a roughing the kicker penalty on West's game-opening drive helped the Wolfpack take an early 7-0 lead.
Patrick Thompson capped that first drive with an 8-yard score, but the Pride was able to keep him from breaking any lengthy runs. Thompson entered the game having gained 1,434 yards this season, including a 296-yard effort last week against McNair, but Pitman held him to 71 yards on 16 carries.
"We read our keys — looking at the linemen and then following their motion into the backs," said senior outside linebacker Dakota Selfridge. "Usually that will give you the play every time."
Other than that, the lone barrier to the Pride's first round success probably was going to be nerves. This is a young team, and no one on this squad was around in 2007 — the last time Pitman advanced to a second round.
"CCC games have their own level of intensity, but once we get to the playoffs it's electric," Selfridge said. "Just by stepping on the field you get a sensation going down your spine and you feel your nerves tingling.
"It gives you a lot of motivation to play harder, as if every play could be your last play. You have to make the most of it."
Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or (209) 578-2300. Follow him at twitter.com/modestobeek.
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