As fire bears down on his home, football coach grabs the one item he can’t replace

Mariposa High football coach Ryan Oliphant swept through the house, cooperating with the emergency crews at his doorstep.

As the Detwiler fire grew in ferocity, swallowing large swaths of land with every gust of dry wind, an emergency evacuation was ordered for the town of Mariposa on Tuesday.

Ryan grabbed four suitcases, one for each member of the family. He had specific instructions for his wife Dawniele and their children, 13-year-old Brady and 10-year-old Conor: Pack clothes and only those possessions you can’t bear to lose.

It was a familiar drill for Ryan and his wife, whose home survived the Telegraph fire in 2008.

“When we had the Telegraph fire, we were right in the thick of that. We were lucky there was no damage the first time,” Ryan said. “We were evacuated for like five or six days.”

Brady and Conor were too young to remember the evacuation nine years ago, but won’t soon forget the horrors of this week.

The Detwiler fire began on Sunday afternoon in Hunters Valley, near Lake McClure, and spread quickly through Mariposa County. On Wednesday, the fire had covered 45,000 acres with only 7 percent containment. More than 4,500 structures have been threatened, according to Cal Fire, including the Oliphant home, just eight miles from the center of Mariposa.

“Where we live, it’s their everything. It’s their whole world,” Ryan said. “Our oldest son was devastated leaving. We were here during the Telegraph fire, but they were too young to remember and realize what was going on. Now that they’re older, they’re pretty shook up ... you know, not knowing if we’ll ever see our house again.”

Ryan’s coaching experience has helped ease the boys’ fears. He’s counseled and motivated Brady and Conor with recycled halftime speeches. While the challenges of high school football don’t compare to a wildfire that rages out of control, the lessons apply.

Ryan has coached the varsity football team for the last five years.

With players traveling from all corners of the county, the small-school Grizzlies are accustomed to solving unique challenges.

Mariposa has qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs twice in the last four years, averaging nearly seven wins a season under Ryan. Those successes have taught coach and players the power of faith and perseverance, watchwords Ryan has tried to impart on his homesick sons.

“I find myself using the same techniques. ‘Hey, you gotta be strong, have faith and just believe.’ This is a much different situation; it’s not a football game,” Ryan said. “But I’ve found the same motivation works with them ... to help them get through this.”

Sports is part of the fabric of the Oliphant home, which explains the collection of trophies that survived the evacuation.

Ryan grabbed baseball awards and the Green and Gold Trophy, the prize awarded to the winner of Mariposa’s annual grudge match with Le Grand, along with pictures and flashlights.

“Everything else we can replace,” he said.

For now, life in Mariposa County has been paralyzed by the blaze. Thousands of have fled the area, seeking shelter away from the smoke. The Oliphants have taken refuge in a guest home on the property of his wife’s employer in Lush Meadows, approximately six miles east of Mariposa. The home has no power or cell service, but there is a roof. To stay in touch with family and friends – and to check on the status of the fire – Ryan drives into town for service. On Wednesday, he sent a message to his football team via Hudl, an online application that allows players and coaches to review game film and create highlight packages.

The fire has stymied excitement for the football season; the opener at Summerville on Aug. 31 is the furthest thing from the Grizzlies’ mind.

“We hope the fire crews can save our town,” quarterback Colton Weidner said. “So far, they’ve stopped it there.”

It’s important to understand who “they” are.

Coaches, many of whom work in law enforcement, fire and for PG&E, have been thrust into action. Weidner’s father, Michael Weidner, is a Battalion Chief with Cal Fire. On Thursday, Colton said he hadn’t seen his dad in three days as he led an assault on the blaze near Catheys Valley.

“As of right now, we want to make sure the players, coaches and everyone’s families are OK,” said Colton, a junior. “All of our coaches, they’re all gone, helping with the efforts. They’re out there doing their jobs. which, of course, comes before football. Football is a secondary thought. It’s not on our mind too much.”

Colton isn’t sure when football will resume, not with Mariposa County still under duress. A sponsored team camp has been canceled, along with workouts during the Sac-Joaquin Section’s dead period. The coaching staff was supposed to hand out uniforms and gear this week, but that has been postponed indefinitely.

Even when the fire is extinguished, air quality will be a concern that carries into the season.

Until then, Colton, like his coach, will fight the Detwiler fire with faith and perseverance.

“We’ve been through this before,” he said. “This is really affecting our town and the areas around it, but it’s just a fire. We’ll get past this.”

This story was originally published July 20, 2017 at 3:52 PM with the headline "As fire bears down on his home, football coach grabs the one item he can’t replace."