The Pirate Varsity football team made the long 9-hour trip to play in the biggest game in the history of MBHS. Last Saturday was the Division 7 AA State Championship game. MBHS went up against the 12-0 MacArthur Bulldogs, in McArthur, California. The weather at the game was near freezing, remaining at a consistent 35-37 degrees throughout the contest. The Pirates have been on a very long journey to make it to this game. From 5 combined wins over the last three years to the State Championship game. Win or lose, the Morro Bay Pirates established themselves as a team on the rise to greatness.
The first quarter began with the Pirates kicking off to the Bulldogs. McArthur opened up with run plays left and right, making sure to establish the run game as a threat throughout the game. The methodical drive landed them on the 11-yard line, where they would score on a passing touchdown. They then ran the ball into the endzone for the 2pt conversion, taking an 8-0 lead. Morro Bay now had an opportunity to answer back. The cold conditions made for a run-heavy game, giving a large workload for the legs of Dylan Turner and Nicky Johnson. This was proven to be correct, as Nicky Johnson ran the ball into the endzone for a 15-yard touchdown. They would kick a PAT rather than go for the tie, making the score 8-7 with Fall River in the lead with 2 minutes remaining in the quarter. The MBHS defense was having trouble stopping the Fall River rushing attack, as the Bulldogs made it down to the 1-yard line in just two minutes. Now in the second quarter, with Fall River at the one-yard line, the Bulldogs got an easy rushing touchdown to extend their lead. Again, they would go for a 2pt conversion, and again they would be successful, making the lead 16-7. The Pirates were unable to get a productive drive going, being forced to punt after three plays. Fortunately for the Pirates, the defense stood strong with an interception. However, once again, the Pirate offense went three and out, punting to the Bulldogs. Now, McArthur was able to capitalize off of the punt, scoring a 7-yard rushing touchdown and a successful 2pt conversion. McArthur now held a 24-7 lead going into halftime.
After halftime is where it all went downhill for the Pirates. McArthur persisted with their ground attack, finishing the game with 300 total rushing yards. The defense was strong when it came to the passing game, only allowing 50 yards and an interception through the air. The Morro Bay offense continued their struggles into the second half. They were able to put 6 points on the board, but it wasn’t enough to bring the game back, as McArthur scored another 19 points in the next two quarters. With that being said, the McArthur Bulldogs won the Division 7 AA State Championship game with a score of 43-13.
This game would be the final game of the very long season for the Pirates. They made a remarkable playoff run but fell just short in the State Championship. MBHS came into the season with little hope from the critics, however, they proved everyone wrong, winning games with an underdog-like mentality. Congratulations to the 2021-2022 Morro Bay Pirates Varsity Football team on a season that will never be forgotten.
