At this time a year ago, Jerry Haflich sported a Frankenstein-like gash across his forehead, stitches and all. Halloween had passed, but he still looked the part without trying.

The American River College football coach fell victim to a flying golf club from someone's backswing during a fundraising event.

"Hit me right in the head, and I woke up bleeding, wondering why everyone was hovering over me," Haflich said amid laughter this week from his office. "I got pretty angry, but they wouldn't tell me who it was. It was full-contact golf!"

Haflich spent years on the rodeo circuit in his younger days, taking on agitated steers, and didn't sustain nearly this amount of physical harm, not to mention the ribbing from family and friends. Haflich now approaches the golf course with a crash helmet adorned with caution stickers.

His ARC team should apply similar caution stickers to its headgear. The Beavers (10-0) have decked all comers this season.

ARC seeks to cap its first unbeaten season today, when it hosts Chabot of Hayward (9-1) in the Capital City Bowl at 2 p.m.

Football at the community college level certainly serves a worthy purpose, never mind the fears of massive state cutbacks. "JC ball" is a safety net for scores of high school talents who fell through the recruiting cracks, are still developing physically or emotionally, or need to shore up their academics.

And this brand isn't boring. The California teams rank among the best in the country. ARC is ranked third in Northern California and fifth in the state.

Chabot is ranked fifth in NorCal, eighth in the state.

Haflich and his assistants have put together a formidable roster. The Beavers have a record-setting quarterback in San Mateo's Andy McAlindon, a rare out-of-the-area find. The running backs are Bryce Pratt of Del Oro High School and Devonte Booker of Grant.

ARC's most heavily recruited players are linemen Connor Rains of Ponderosa, Cortez Woods of Woodcreek and Terry Easmon of Laguna Creek.

"We've got such an eclectic group, too," Haflich said. "We've got Romanians, Polynesian guys, country boys, kids from the city, a real mix and melting pot. And they have a ball together. They're great characters – dancing, singing – but they also compete. We play with great explosion and physicality."

Here's how close ARC is to the nation's No. 1-ranked team – City College of San Francisco: The Rams beat Stockton's San Joaquin Delta 16-14. ARC blasted Delta 51-9.

What ARC has done otherwise is seize the area.

Sacramento City was a community college football power in the 1980s under coach Jerry Sullivan, winning two mythical national championships.

Sierra College owned the past decade, punctuated by a 37-game winning streak and high national rankings.

Now it's ARC's run. The Beavers have won 17 consecutive games and are 20-1 in the past two seasons.

Haflich starred at linebacker for Sacramento State in the early 1980s. He understands the area's tradition of success and works hard to maintain his end.

"Sullivan set a great standard, then (Sierra coach Jeff) Tisdel for sure set the bar at Sierra," Haflich said. "We're trying to do the same. There's no easy way about it. You recruit like heck, get them to play hard and fast. It's a great challenge and a fun one, and I love it. If it was easy, we'd all be in trouble."

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Joe Davidson co-hosts the SureWest Sports Radio Show each Saturday on ESPN 1320 from 9 to 10 a.m.

• Read more articles by Joe Davidson