Trojans a different team by end of football season

The Petaluma High School football team that finished the season bore little resemblance to the one that started the campaign. Maybe that is because it wasn’t the same team.

“The guys that started on the offensive line weren’t the same guys that started the first game,” explained Petaluma coach Rick Krist. “We had several running backs. In each game we never knew who was going to step up.”

Petaluma started the season with only two players with any extensive varsity experience - two-way lineman Justen Santa and fullback/linebacker Connor Richardson. It took awhile for Krist and his coaching staff to get everyone sorted out and into their proper positions. Petaluma had its normal share of injuries, and what it all came down to was a changing lineup on both sides of the football until things pretty much settled down for the last seven games of the season.

Petaluma won six of those seven, with the winning streak not stopped until the Trojans lost at Encinal, 47-6, in the first round of the North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs.

That streak was in sharp contrast to their first four games when they lost pre-league contests to Windsor (42-7), Rodriguez from Fairfax (47-27)and Kennedy from Fremont (49-3) and opened league with a 55-7 loss to powerhouse Analy in their only Sonoma County League loss. The loss to Rodriguez was later overturned because the Fairfield team had used an ineligible player.

In the midst of change, there were several consistent elements that held the Petaluma season together. One was junior Justin Wolbert, who won the quarterback job and improved with each snap. Not only did he prove to have a solid grasp of the Petaluma option system, but showed himself to be a rushing threat and capable of making the big passing play on those rare occasions when the Trojans threw the football.

He rushed for 337 yards and seven touchdowns and completed 38 of 81 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns. Most importantly, he efficiently administered the Trojan option offense, limiting turnovers despite working with a multitude of backs.

“He really did a great job for someone with no experience,” Krist said. “He sometimes took a beating, but he really stood in there and got better every week.”

The rest of the Petaluma backfield was a merry-go-round that got better each week.

As the season moved into league play, senior Dominic Christobal, a 135-pound flyer, established himself as a premier back. He finished with 660 rushinf yards.

But he had plenty of ball-carrying help.

Jacob Rollstin had some big games, and ended with 430 rushing yards. Dominic Ayers, Erick Diaz and Justin Turner all contributed at times.

Then there was Richardson, who did the heavy lifting as both a blocker and middle-of-the-line bulldozer from the fullback position. He finished with 478 rushing yards, but accounted for 13 touchdowns, most of them coming from inside the 5-yard line when opposing defenses stacked the box in a vain attempt to stop him.

The changes in the offensive line weren’t necessarily due to ineffectiveness by the players who started the season. Some resulted in injury, some were made to free players for defense and some just to find continuity.

As the season developed, junior Luke Haggard emerged as the leader of the group. It was through him and left guard senior Eric Coats that the Trojans ran when yardage was needed.

Coats was an all-league second-team choice, as was center Nick Dooley with sophomore Nick Siembieda and junior Xavier Crysdale manning the right side. Santa provided valuable help on both sides of scrimmage.

A key component of the offensive line was senior tight end Robert Miller, who provided strong blocking, particularly on the Trojan pitch plays.

Although Petaluma seldom threw, when Wolbert did pass, his top targets were juniors Hayden Fehler and converted kicker Isaiah Blomgren.

After a rocky start against several of the top running backs in the North Bay, the Petaluma defense settled into an almost impenetrable unit over the second half of the season, putting together a sting of four straight shutouts that was only broken when the Trojans had second and third-unit players in the game in a blowout win over Elsie Allen. The Trojans set what is believed to be a school record with 76 points in that game.

The Petaluma defensive front, anchored by Dooley and Santa inside and Haggard and Crysdale at the ends, was rock solid once SCL play began.

One of the real keys to the Petaluma defense was the move of Rollstin to outside linebacker. “He has great instincts,” said Krist. “Moving him outside allowed him to use his athleticism.”

With Rollstin outside and Richardson inside, the Petaluma linebacking corps had two first-team all-leaguers, supported strongly by Coats and Dominic Ayers.

The Petaluma defensive backfield solidified when Trey Davis, a transfer from St. Vincent, became eligible to join Fehler, Reilly Whisman and Christobal to form a solid unit.

Senior Thomas DeJong provided a reliable kicker and earned all-league second-team notice.

Krist said what started so darkly and ultimately turned into a bright season was a tribute to the Trojans’ persistence and optimistic attitude.

“The kids stayed positive,” Krist said. “Our practices all season were fantastic. They never got down on themselves.”

The head coach also complimented his coaching staff for keeping the Trojans headed in the right direction.

Included in the coaching staff were Dave Poterache, who has been with the Petaluma program for 26 years; defensive coordinator John Curdo; Danny McCarthy; Breaden Ross; Jeff Crudo; Dalton Johnson; and strength and conditioning coach Jeff Stanley.

“It was a fun year,” acknowledged Krist.