No motivation necessary

Sometimes motivational methods are required to get players in the zone.

Blasting ACDC or putting on eye black might push a player into Friday-night mode.

Tonight’s game requires no such tactics. Instead, just one word will get them ready: Monache. Or Porterville, depending on whose side you’re on.

Either way, both sides have acknowledged they don’t need any extra edge for the Granite Bowl. It just comes with the rivalry.

“The town pretty much divides itself down the middle,” Monache coach Chris Likewise said. “Half’s gold and blue and half are the other colors. There isn’t a whole lot of extra-needed stuff. The intensity and preparation and all those things take care of themselves.”

This decade, Monache’s enjoyed this rivalry, as Porterville has been on the wrong side of the final score in each 21st-century meeting. But the game takes on added significance now with both teams sitting at 5-4 and Monache’s postseason hopes hinging on a win they could usually book in advance.

“The history’s on their side,” Porterville coach Rick Stewart said. “I’m sure those Monache kids fully expect to win just because they’ve won so often.”

Likewise didn’t disagree with Stewart's assessment of his players’ likely mind-set.

“Half our guys probably don’t even know where the championship trophy is that we play for,” he said. “It’s up in the office and they’re just kind of accustomed to it (being there).”

But this year, the Panthers have more wins than they have had the previous three seasons combined and own a better league record (3-2) than their cross-town rivals do.

“Everybody’s excited that it’s now a rivalry again, that Porterville now has a chance,” Stewart said. “I think over the last couple years, it really wasn’t a rivalry and Granite and Monache were the established programs. Now at least our boys go in thinking they have a chance.”

The Panthers are coming off two straight wins — a 35-12 rout of Cesar Chavez and a 41-29 victory over other city foe Granite Hills — while the Marauders enter play tonight after two defeats (to non-league opponent Lemoore, 24-13, and No. 1-ranked Tulare Union, 42-2). 

Part of the reason for the losses is Monache’s injury issues, but Likewise does not anticipate that being as much of a problem for this occasion.

“We’re about as healthy as we’re gonna be right now,” he said. “We’ve got a couple guys out, but it’s hard to keep guys out of this game. They might have to hobble out on crutches, but they want to get a piece of this action.”

Porterville, on the other hand, enters the game virtually injury-free, but their biggest obstacle is not wounded athletes, it’s a tenacious Marauder defense.

“We save the film as our training video as how to play defense,” Stewart said. “They have no weakness on defense.”

Led by linebackers Sebastian Alcantar and Alfredo Vargas, Monache’s defense has stifled multiple vaßunted rushing attacks this season in Mount Whitney, Granite Hills and Chavez. Porterville’s running game has been the chief reason of its turnaround season. Daniel Rueger, Jordan McIntyre, Josh Callanan and Nick Shew each see time in the Wing-T attack and have bullied rushing defenses for the most part this season.

Callanan also has multiple touchdown receptions of more than 70 yards this season. Senior wide receiver Ulysess Serna and running back Joey Perry are Monache’s go-to guys and have six combined scores on the season.

Callanan has seen too many Marauder victories in this matchup and said a win would match the New York Giants’ February performance in his eyes.

“We’d be so ecstatic (if we won), like we won the Super Bowl or something,” Callanan said.

On the other hand, a loss by Monache would end many seniors’ careers before they are ready to.

“It’d feel pretty good to beat Porterville and advance into the playoffs,” Vargas said. “It’s basically a win-or-go-home game.”

Porterville already sealed a trip to the playoffs and according to Stewart, Monache will be there too. Regardless of what happens tonight. 

“Oh, they’re going to the playoffs, Likewise is just doing that for motivation,” Stewart said. “They’ve got five wins, they’ll lynch him if he doesn’t go to the playoffs. We think they’re going. I think that was just false motivation.”

Likewise insists a loss will end his team’s season despite having technically clinched a playoff berth, but the high-stakes nature of the Granite Bowl extends further than the gridiron.

“I don’t know how much money’s at stake on this game, but I’ve heard throughout the town it’s not like five bucks, we’re talking thousands,” Likewise said. “That’s what people have told me.”

But for the players, a win means a year of bragging rights over their counterparts and for Porterville, it would mean nine years of frustration would end and the Perpetual Trophy would return to the town’s oldest high school.

“To bring that trophy back here, the whole town’s just gonna get set on fire,” Stewart said.

The Marauders, on the other hand, would enjoy nothing more than to keep the trophy where it’s sat since the Y2K crisis.

“That’s our goal every year to make the playoffs and be city champions,” he said. “It’d be a great shot in the arm. Our kids are excited and can’t wait to play. We want to defend our trophy and keep it in our office and not let those guys see it for a few more years.”