After Detwiler fire, football coach cancels practice; embattled players show up anyway

With the Detwiler fire nearly contained, the residents of Mariposa County have returned home, sifting through the ash and smoke, searching for a sense of normalcy.

Thousands were displaced by a fire that raged out of control for nearly two weeks, including Mariposa High football coach Ryan Oliphant. For six days, the Oliphants took shelter in a guest home without electricity on the property of his wife’s employer near Lush Meadows.

As football began in earnest around the Sac-Joaquin Section last week, Oliphant, whose home was unaffected by the fire, chose to cancel practice for his Grizzlies, a darkhorse contender in the Southern League.

Instead, Oliphant and his staff issued uniforms and gear, and offered voluntary workouts. The fifth-year coach was surprised by the attendance.

“The first week was totally voluntary, but we still had 35 to 40 kids show up this week,” Oliphant said on Friday. “The others were getting their stuff together and getting back into their homes. I told them not to worry about football ... I told them to get their stuff taken care of.”

The Detwiler fire began in Hunters Valley, near Lake McClure, on July 16 and chewed up 81,826 acres, destroying 63 homes and threatening many more. As of Sunday, the fire was 97 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.

Standing outside his home, surveying the heavy brush that encircles his property, Oliphant breathed a sigh of relief. Emergency crews ordered an immediate evacuation as the fire burned a path toward his home. That brush, he says, would have acted as kindling, sending his home, nestled about eight miles from the center of town, up in flames.

“We were lucky,” said Oliphant, who doesn’t anticipate any lingering effects from the fire.

Football returns to its normal routine on Monday with mandatory practices. The Grizzlies have about four weeks to prepare for their season opener at Summerville on Aug. 31. Mariposa will host Minarets on Sept. 8 at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.

The fairgrounds were used as a camp for Cal Fire crews during the Detwiler fire. Oliphant believes only another wildfire – not air quality – could threaten the Grizzlies’ home debut.

“The air quality hasn’t been too bad here,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s because the smoke is being pushed to other communities. There really hasn’t been any concerns. I think the biggest issue is the fairgrounds. That is where the base camp was for Cal Fire. If there is a major incident, that could jeopardize us having a home game. With the fire contained, though, that shouldn’t be an issue … unless something new happens.”

The only change the Grizzlies hope to see is a shift in power in the Southern League. Orestimba is the two-time defending champion and boast another explosive offense with running back Tymon Bolden (No. 48) and wide receiver Tyler Vargas (No. 32), both ranked among The Bee’s top-50 returning players. The Warriors have won 14 consecutive league games.

That dynasty was preceded by another: From 2009 to 2014, Le Grand, Mariposa’s chief rival, reigned as one of the top small-school programs in the section.

Mariposa shared the 2014 title with the Bulldogs and last won an outright championship in 2008. Last week’s turnout gives Oliphant hope the embattled Grizzlies can turn the heat up on the rest of the Southern League.

“I was pretty surprised to see as many as I did,” he said. “It’s still 108 degrees outside and we had 40 kids show up the first couple of days. I was impressed. I think they’re ready to move on from the fire and get back to football.”

This story was originally published August 5, 2017 at 6:35 PM with the headline "After Detwiler fire, football coach cancels practice; embattled players show up anyway."