Davenport Football Enters New Frontier

Based on returning personnel, the prospect of a Davenport-Oroville State B-11 semifinal wouldn’t have drawn many doubters before the season started.

But based on football history, Davenport (10-1) and Oroville (11-0) aren’t places with tales to spin of past late-November triumphs.

Until this year, Davenport’s lone semifinal appearance came in 1975, a 61-0 loss to Colton. Although Oroville has made the state playoffs for four consecutive years, it is the first time the Hornets have advanced this far.

“We’re both in the New Frontier,” is how Davenport coach Skip Pauls describes Saturday’s 3 p.m. game at Quincy for a berth in the Gridiron Classic at Tacoma.

“I’ve been fortunate to have kids who were willing to put in the time,” said Rick Guenther, who started shaping the Oroville program seven years ago. “We’ve been fortunate to get a little farther each year.”

Both teams have balanced offenses. For the Gorillas, junior Josh FitzPatrick has rushed for 1,400 yards and sophomore Travis Telecky has added 700.

Senior quarterback Marty Parsons has thrown for 16 touchdowns and 1,265 yards - nearly half of those yards to classmate Cliff Swain.

”(Davenport’s) running backs are very impressive,” Guenther said. “They’re a tough team to find a flaw in.”

Talented sophomore Braxton Cleman has rushed for 27 TDs and averaged 125 yards per game for the Hornets. Senior QB Cory Howe averages 140 passing yards and has thrown for 15 TDs. His main receiver is brother (but not twin) Chris Howe, a senior who nets 20 yards per catch.

Cory Howe, with 33 interceptions, set the state career record this year.

“We watched Oroville vs. Reardan when the Howes were sophomores,” Pauls said. “So they may have the edge in playoff experience.”

The Gorillas look to senior linemen Steve Cannon and Tyson Deal, both of whom were Northeast all-league first-teamers both ways.

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