Joe Cortez: Halloween weather could play tricks on district quarterbacks

Indian summers are nothing new to the Central Valley. And this year we’ve had a doozy, with the temperatures reaching the 80s and 90s well into October. In fact, the 10-day forecast indicates the thermometer might reach 80 into next month.

I love the long, warm autumns. You can be outside, walking, running, biking, sometimes even swimming, well after the calendar says summer has ended.

But when it comes to high school football, I’m a bit conflicted.

As a reporter, I like walking the sidelines and charting games without having to dress like Nanook of the North. Only last week, three weeks into October, did I notice a bit of a chill in the air. I didn’t bring a sweatshirt and wished I had. But it was tolerable and, contrary to what my mother always told me, I didn’t catch pneumonia.

On the other hand, as a fan, I long for the cold, rainy weather, though I know the Sac-Joaquin Section office doesn’t because of its affect on attendance. To me, when lineman square off eye to eye in the trenches, it only seems right when you can see the players’ breath billowing through their facemasks.

There’s just something about cold weather that adds to the drama of the game.

Well, for the first time this season, cold weather isn’t only forecasted, it might actually be a factor. The forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of rain on Friday, with temperatures dipping into the 50s during the games.

That means quarterbacks are going to have to deal with gripping a cold, slick football with cold, possibly wet, hands.

Players in New York and Michigan and Pennsylvania will have to deal with much worse this week, but players back East have been dealing with bad weather for weeks. For players here in the heart of the Golden State, it’s like going from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds … from swim trunks and sunglasses to Snuggies and mukluks at the drop of a wool cap.

Several games this week in the Stanislaus District have playoff ramifications.

In the Modesto Metro Conference, Downey is in a battle with Modesto and Gregori for the conference championship, and the Knights throw the ball as much as any team in the Stanislaus District.

“If we were playing in the mud, I’d be a little more concerned,” said Knights head coach Jeremy Plaa, whose team plays on the artificial surface at Chuck Hughes Stadium. “But being that we’re on the turf, it’s not that big a deal.

“It was in the mid-80s (Wednesday) so it’s going to be really weird on Friday. We’ve been billing arctic conditions to try and get the kids prepared. Plus, it’s homecoming and Halloween, so we’ve been telling them to expect some things to go wrong. Just keep calm and we’ll be OK.”

Though Downey is a big favorite against Davis, the weather could even the playing field.

“Definitely, as a quarterback, I’m worried about it,” Downey quarter P.J. Wilson said . “I remember two years ago, when I was brought up to the varsity as a sophomore for the playoffs, we were getting ready for the game in Granite Bay. Because it was supposed to rain, we worked on dealing with a wet ball in practice. Before every snap we dunked the ball in a bucket of water. I think we’ll be OK.”

Across town at Gregori High’s Don Lanphear Stadium, Enochs and Gregori will play in another key MMC game. This one’s essentially a pick ’em.

The Jaguars, a game behind Downey in the standings, need a win Friday to make sure next week’s game versus the Knights means something. Gregori doesn’t throw much, but Enochs goes to the air frequently behind senior quarterback Shawn Munoz.

Could the weather help put Gregori over the top?

“The weird thing is these kids haven’t had to play in rainy weather conditions in a long time because of the drought,” said Turlock coach James Peterson. “It could be interesting. I’m not worried about the turf, but the ball will get wet and a little heavy. It can change the game.”

Merced and Turlock meet in a big Central California Conference showdown – the Bears and Bulldogs have matching 3-0 league records – that will put the winner alone in first place with just a week left in the regular season. Both teams like to throw.

Meanwhile, Ripon Christian hosts Mariposa in a Southern League game that’s important to both. The Grizzlies are tied with Le Grand atop the conference, but an RC win Friday coupled with the right set of outcomes on Nov. 7 could allow the Knights to grab an automatic playoff berth.

Both Mariposa and RC like to chuck it around. In fact, Grizzlies receiver Jadin Battles is second in the state with 72 catches and 21^st in the state with 955 receiving yards.

Livingston-Patterson is another big game that will impact the postseason picture, and the Tigers’ offense revolves around the right arm of senior Damien Paulo.

In the end, whether it’s dealing with temperatures in the 90s during games in August or with rain and mud during postseason games, the elements have always been an alluring part of football.

The only thing you can do is dress warm … and don’t forget the umbrella.

This story was originally published October 29, 2014 at 11:25 PM with the headline "Joe Cortez: Halloween weather could play tricks on district quarterbacks."