Shasta County's Fall River High prepares for first state championship game
The sun began to set over Haney Mountain and the temperature outside during Fall River High School's football practice began to chill to the high 30s.
None of that bothered the hardened 21 mountain boys who play on the Fall River football team.
Fall River has set a continual standard for excellence in football, even if the program's accomplishments sometimes have gone unnoticed.
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"As a small school, we're not going to get the attention that maybe we deserve, but that's not what we're really focused on," Fall River senior quarterback Ryan Osborne said. "We just focus on what we can and playing the teams we can."
Fall River has one of the most consistent football teams in Shasta County, having produced winning records in 14 of the last 17 seasons and undefeated seasons in 2004 and 2007. Fall River is looking to add another undefeated season to its history in 2021.
Fall River (11-0) is playing in its first regional state championship against Le Grand (8-5) in the CIF Division 7-AA bowl game. Kickoff is scheduled at 3 p.m. Saturday. The winner will play SoCal representative Loara of Anaheim or Morro Bay for the state championship on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Fourteen regional title games will be played around California this Friday and Saturday.
Fall River is led by Osborne. The 5-foot-11 Osborne is not only the Bulldogs' leading passer — he is their leading rusher and tackler. Osborne has a strong arm and commands the presence of his huddle.
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Osborne has passed for 1,494 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushed for 1,330 yards and 26 touchdowns and made 98 tackles. His father, Danny, is an assistant coach and provides his son help as a blocker when the team is trying to institute a new play.
With a team of 21 players that include 14 underclassmen, the coaches step in to play the game. Every member of the team pitches in and the practices continue without a hitch.
Fall River has been dominant and beat teams in higher divisions. Fall River shut its opponents out in the first four games, including a clinical 14-0 win over 2021 CIF Northern Section Division IV finalist Pierce.
"We have a general understanding of what it takes and what it took to get to where we are today," Osborne said. "A lot of that stems from practice and we do everything we can to be prepared on Friday."
The journey with Osborne and his class of seniors began in the eighth grade when Fall River started its own Pop Warner football program. Osborne with senior defensive tackle Evan Bidwell were part of a team that joined the Klamath County Pop Warner organization in 2017. Osborne was in the eighth grade.
The same players from that Pop Warner program have played together now at Fall River High School for five years.
"We've been able to build up a lot of team chemistry together over the years and hanging out a lot," Bidwell said.
This is Coach Osborne and he will put his body at risk to help his team. #football #fallriver #shasta pic.twitter.com/xplqyWG0GG
— Ethan Hanson (@EthanAHanson_RS) December 2, 2021
Fall River has averaged 350 yards per game but will be tested by Le Grand, a team that has a 34-man roster that outnumbers the mountain boys of Shasta County. Le Grand quarterback Julian Bucio, a junior, has passed for 2,165 yards and 29 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.
But Le Grand has also been inconsistent on defense this season and has allowed teams to rush for over 200 yards in four of its five losses.
Fall River has recorded shutouts in five of its 11 wins and has the speedy 5-foot-7 freshman defensive lineman Isaiah Wortman.
Wortman is undersized for the position, but plays with such energy that he's nearly tackled head coach Todd Sloat several times during practice. Wortman leads Fall River with 10 sacks.
The intensity Wortman brings is reflective of the Fall River football team. Bidwell and Osborne are part of a determined group of players. Many of the Fall River players spend their summers working as ranch hands. They carry hay, pick up after farm animals and work 8-hour shifts. Football is their escape.
"That's just guys showing up to play and getting ready to get some work in," junior blocker Josh Kask said.
If Fall River wins, it will host the CIF Division 7-AA state championship at home on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. A snowstorm is expected to hit the region, and its the kind of game Osborne and his team want.
Fall River played the CIF Northern Section Division V game with snow in 2019 against Los Molinos and won 26-6.
"It's just a matter of putting everything together at this point," Osborne said. "We've had some ups and downs during the season but come out on top every game. Everything we've put in so far and this week, we just need to continue that level of excellence come Saturday. Because that's what it's going to take to move on."
Ethan Hanson started working for the Redding Record Searchlight after four years with the Los Angeles Daily News as a freelancer. His coverage includes working the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and writing about the St. Louis Rams' move to Los Angeles with the Ventura County Star. He began his career as a play-by-play broadcaster for LA Pierce College from 2011-2017. Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHanson_RS.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Fall River High prepares for first state title game
