Doom and gloom in Paso?

The Paso Robles High football team's big 52-0 win Friday over Santa Ynez was impressive to watch.

But if there's anyone out there who can find a puny storm cloud in big load of silver lining, it's a coach.

And the Bearcats' Rich Schimke is an experienced one at that.

"We got a long ways to go," he said after the game. "We made way too many mistakes. I know it sounds weird, but you watched the second half. You saw all the penalties out there. We have to maintain our discipline."

The Bearcats were called for 85 yards worth of penalties on nine flags, 10 if you count one that was declined by the Pirates.

"And the fumble down there in the red zone," Schimke said, "we can't have that."

Lots of times coaches will undersell their team or accomplishments because they don't want their high school athletes to get too full of themselves. Or they don't want to provide bulletin board material to another team.

That's why what media members refer to as "coach speak" is so boring to read, yet it's use is nearly universal.

But don't write off Schimke's comments as a simple attempt to be humble in the wake of a dominant win.

It's the second week in a row Paso Robles has been dogged by penalties and turnovers in at least one half. There will come a time when an opponent will have the talent and experience to be able to capitalize on some of those mistakes.

So the Bearcats will work on them. They should.

And they should also enjoy the win. There was more than enough to be proud about.