Pittsburg’s Jadyn Hudson (10) intercepts a pass intended for Antioch’s Joey Wilson (16) in the third quarter of their 105th Big Little Game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Pittsburg defeated Antioch 55-6. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
PITTSBURG — The number has been achieved by many high school football teams through the years, to the point that it might seem pedestrian.
But it’s not.
Going 10-0 in the regular season is a big deal and Pittsburg, according to coach Charlie Ramirez, reached the mark Saturday for the first time in the program’s storied history while clinching the outright Bay Valley Athletic League championship.
The Pirates have had 9-0 regular seasons, Ramirez said after his team routed visiting Antioch 55-6 in the 105th Big Little Game. But Pittsburg never had a 10-0 regular season.
Until now.
“Ten and O, man,” Ramirez said while addressing his players on the field postgame. “We’ve talked about the long history of the Pittsburg community and Pittsburg football. You guys are going down in history.”
Later, in an interview with the Bay Area News Group, Ramirez added, “It was our mission at the start of the season as a staff. We knew we had the talent and the ability to be 10-0, and we did it, man. It means a lot. Our first objective, we just accomplished it, so it’s good.
“It’s a testament to everything we’ve been building over the last 10 years.”
Now, the Pirates are setting their sights on unfinished business. They lost in a state championship game last season and in a regional the season before that one.
Six years ago, they were beaten in another state title game.
Ramirez, who was the defensive coordinator in those years, reminded his players that the bar is high as they move on to the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoffs.
“Now it’s time to go win state,” he told them. “I told you guys last week, ‘It ain’t for that game and it ain’t for the BVAL.”
Saturday, Pittsburg simply overpowered its longtime rival from the first snap, beating a team that was without three players who were serving a school suspension, including big-play quarterback Larenzo Mayfield.
Pittsburg intercepted seven passes, Elijah Bow ran for three touchdowns and Marley Alcantara passed for two. The Pirates led 28-0 after the first quarter and 41-6 at halftime.
Antioch had minus-53 yards rushing in the opening quarter, seemingly swarmed at every turn.
“Obviously, we had some issues at school this week that prevented us from being here with our full team,” said Antioch coach Brett Dudley, whose team fell to 7-3 and isn’t likely to advance to the playoffs. “But we weren’t going to quit. We weren’t going to lay down and die. I am proud of them for fighting their butts off.
“Pittsburg’s one of the best teams in the whole state of California. I would have loved to have our whole team here. But they’re young men. They’ve got to learn to make the right life choices. I preached postgame, ‘You’re going to have setbacks in life. How do you respond?'”
Antioch scored its only touchdown in the second quarter on an 11-yard pass from Yusef Jenkins to Kha’mahri Jones that made it 28-6.
Pittsburg immediately answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Alcantara to Makari Kenion.
When Bow opened the second half with a 23-yard run across the goal line, the advantage widened to 48-6 and the clock started running.
“We’ve definitely gotten better as the season has gone on,” Bow said. “I feel like we’ve come a long way.”
Jadyn Hudson had two interceptions and was named the game’s MVP, which came as a surprise to him.
“I was back there celebrating with my team and they called my name,” Hudson said.
On a day Pittsburg recognized its next Hall of Fame class in a pregame ceremony, the modern-day team showed that it is playoff-ready.
The Pirates are expected to receive the second or third seed in the NCS Open/Division I playoffs when the brackets are released on Sunday. De La Salle is projected to receive the top seed, followed by Pittsburg or San Ramon Valley.
Ramirez, noting his team’s record, said his team is deserving of the No. 1 seed.
“It doesn’t matter, ultimately,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we’re the first 10-0 team (at Pittsburg), the only 10-0 team in Division I. I know De La Salle is a powerhouse and they have a substantial reputation. But so do we. We’re a reputable, D-I, championship program. We deserve the one, and if we get the two, that’s cool, too. Our ultimate objective is to win state.”
And what if Pittsburg gets the three?
“If we get the three, nothing changes,” Ramirez added. “Same mission, same goal.”
