CSM football, cross-country face big tests this weekend

He came to Tuesday's press conference dressed as a lumberjack, and that's only appropriate because Williams has been laying the wood to opposing defensive lineman for much of the season.

"Earlier in the season we weren't used to playing at that (NorCal) level," Williams said. "Against Butte, we finished and blocked to the whistle. The adjustment was mostly in attitude."

Bassett, a sophomore who played at Irvington-Fremont, has always had a strong will to succeed. But he missed the first five games this year due to a broken collarbone. In three games, he's quickly established himself as arguably CSM's top playmaker, along with quarterback David Singleton.

"It's frustrating not to be out there," Bassett said. "The hardest part was being mature and disciplined enough not to rush back. I wanted to play with the best team and players, and that's why I came here."

After the Bulldogs' defense allowed more than 500 yards each against Foothill and City, Moala said the key was simply getting back to the basics and showing a drive and determination to overcome adversity.

"The first two (conference) games we didn't feel the D-line played to our potential," Moala said. "It's a good sign if we can outwork the (opponents) O-line because they're going to feel helpless."

Feather River up next

CSM will embark on its longest road trip of the season -- 5 1/2 hours -- for its 1 p.m. game against Feather River in Quincy on Saturday. With the lengthy travel time -- the team will leave Friday afternoon -- does Owens prepare his team any differently?

"Yeah, bring a lot of music," he joked. "We're just going to relax on the way there and treat it as a business trip. I'm pretty sure there's not much going on in Quincy on a Friday night. We're going to have an 11 p.m. bed check and the players know how to act."

Feather River is the feel-good story of California Community College football. After playing in the Bay Valley Conference the past few years, the Golden Eagles were moved up to the powerhouse NorCal and have fared quite well. What makes Feather River's success all the more remarkable is the fact that with only 475 full-time students, it is the smallest junior college in the state.

Located in Quincy, which has an elevation (3,432 feet above sea level) higher than its population (1,879 according to a 2000 census report), Feather River has a flourishing sports program, especially in football and baseball.

"We'd like to think we have something good going here in a great situation," Feather River football coach Rob Cushman said. "(As for the game), it's a little bit of a mirror image. They have a similar offense to ours and the philosophies are pretty similar. The biggest adjustment in moving up is in the Bay Valley, you can get away with a mistake or two, but you can't do that here."

Singleton taking control?

Last year, Julian Edelman and Kevin Linnell alternated reps at quarterback until Edelman, now the starting QB at Kent State, took the reins and never gave it up. A similar situation might be happening this season, with Singleton coming on strong lately and taking all the snaps against Butte. CSM offensive coordinator Bret Pollack said Singleton isn't necessarily pulling away from Avina.

"David has played well lately and had a great week of practice (leading up to the Butte game), and he didn't screw up where we felt we needed to pull him," Pollack said. "Against Butte we ran 45 plays and had 375 yards, our best efficiency all year. Where Jose finishes run stronger, David makes up for it with his passing"

Cross-country

The Northern California championships take place Saturday at the Crystal Springs Course in Belmont. The women's race starts at 10 a.m. and the men follow an hour later. The Bulldogs' best hope for individual glory is Jenny Leondoukis, who should finish in the top 10, coach Joe Mangan said. The top 10 individuals and teams in each race qualifies for state.

"The women should be amongst the top 10 teams and the men right around 10th to 12th," Mangan said. "For the men, it's a matter off all five running a great race. We can't afford to have one runner lay an egg out there."

There's a nice angle from the women's side in Alicia Jiminez out of Capuchino. Jiminez, who also played soccer at Canada, broke her right wrist in practice this year when a ball hit her at an awkward angle. She's been running virtually the entire season with a cast, but it hasn't stopped her from making an impact.