Pittsburg’s season ends in lopsided loss to Central East in NorCal title game

PITTSBURG — Pittsburg started quietly packing up its sideline early in the fourth quarter. 

The kicking net came first, then the sideline cameras, then the rest of the equipment. It was a slow, somber retreat on a night where orange confetti rained down on Pirate Stadium but not for the home team. 

It was a stinging loss for a prideful program.

The Pirates’ season came to a brutal end on Saturday night at home after a crushing 55-36 loss to Central East-Fresno in the NorCal Division I-A title game.

“They just made the plays and we didn’t,” Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez said. “We were in position, but they just out executed and out competed us.”

Central East running back Brandon Smith rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The Grizzlies racked up 521 yards of total offense and scored the most points on a Pittsburg team since 2019. 

Central East never surrendered its lead and led by as much as 34 in the second half. The Bengals will make their second appearance in a state title game next week after taking home the NorCal regional title.

Despite the loss, Pittsburg walked off the field proud of what it was able to accomplish this season. The Pirates won their seventh consecutive league title and their fifth consecutive North Coast Section Open Division crown. 

“It’s a tough way to go out, but the Pittsburg Pirates have a lot to be proud of this season,” Pittsburg wide receiver, RJ Mosley, who had eight catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns in his final game, said. “We came a long way from spring ball to get to this point now, so I’m just super proud of this team.

Behind a rowdy Fresno crowd, the Grizzlies came out firing on all cylinders. 

Two touchdown passes from Central East quarterback Jelani Dippel put the Grizzlies up 14 halfway through the first quarter. 

Pittsburg responded when Carlos Torres found Mosley in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard, one-handed grab to cut the lead to one score. 

But from there, it was all Central East.

Dippel found Bayon Harris for a 32-yard pitch and catch. Later in the second quarter, Smith scored on a one-yard plunge into the end zone.

By halftime, Central East led 34-14.

Pittsburg opened the third quarter with an onside kick that was recovered, but was eventually called back after an illegal touching penalty was called on the Pirates. Four plays later, Central East scored yet again after Dippel found wide receiver EJ Morgan from 40 yards out. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Pittsburg fumbled and gave the ball back to Central East deep in its own territory. The Bengals punched in another touchdown and built up an insurmountable 34-point lead. 

Carlos Torres threw three touchdown passes for Pittsburg in the second half, but it was not enough. 

“We just had to come out hard and get back to state,” Smith said. “Hopefully, we can win this time.”

In just his third year as coach, Ramirez has now gone to three consecutive NorCal title games, winning one. The Pirates, still looking for the elusive state championship, will now graduate every player that has been with Ramirez through each of his three postseason runs.

“The best part about this season was the senior class,” Ramirez said. “They embraced what we’re building here and they always competed to the very end. They stuck with it. They bought in. And they were committed.” 

Pittsburg entered the season graduating more than half of its starters from last season. The Pirates retooled, but questions remained earlier this season whether they could get back to this point. 

Mosley is proud that they did. 

“It goes back to the beginning when I was a freshman. The culture was already instilled that we have to play as hard as we can, Mosley said. “Everything else took care of itself.”