Page 24 - Mid Valley Times 9-26-19 E-edition

Reedley to face Washington Union, 4-1, in homecoming
MVT Staff Report
The Reedley High Pi- rates will face a rugged homecoming test when they take on Washington Union High on Friday, Sept. 27, at Sal Gonzalez Field. Varsity kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Pirates (2-2) were idle last week, giv- ing them extra days to prepare for the 4-1 Pan- thers. Washington ran its win streak to three with a 55-9 dismantling of Hoover, and its lone loss came against Kingsburg by a 19-13 score on Aug. 30.
Reedley coach Tony Gates said the Panthers may be the most athletic team they have faced this season.
“They have weapons at receiver and running back who can score at any time,” he said. “I truly believe they will be around deep in the playoffs. We have to be sound in our defensive preparations.
“On offense, we need to build on our run game and dominate the line of scrimmage.”
Reedley High will select its annual Home- coming Queen and King at halftime of the varsity game.
Riverdale 55, Orange Cove 19
At Riverdale on Sept. 20, the Cowboys (4-1) erupted for 42 first-half points to cruise past the Titans in the West Se- quoia League opener for both teams.
The hosts struck in the first two minutes of play, returning a fum- ble for a touchdown. Quarterback Mason Musgrave had two of
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On the first play of the fourth quarter, Drew Zaubi (Crestwood, KY) found a wide-open Jaime Ramirez (Dinuba) for a 68-yard touchdown. Eli- jah Hawkins (Los Ange- les) made it 66-0 with a 28-yard score.
The Tiger defense held Contra Costa to minus-12 yards rushing in the first half and fin- ished with 29 net rush- ing yards. The Comets didn’t get into Tiger terri- tory until late in the third quarter. Tico Nah (Fed- eral Way, WA) had back- to-back sacks in the final period, forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Tigers. But three plays later, the Com- ets got on the board as Ohajai Murray returned a pass interception 91 yards for six points with 7:29 remaining.
Reedley outgained the Comets 559-78 and had 27 first downs to only four for the visitors.
“We are playing well in all three phases,” said Reedley head coach Eric Marty after the game. “In a game like this, it gives you such an ad- vantage because you are making positive plays on special teams, then the defense runs out there and makes a positive play. Then there is an- other positive play on the punt return and then all
his three rushing touch- downs in the first half, and also hooked up with Jonathan Solorio on a 50-yard touchdown pass.
Orange Cove’s lone score in the half was set up when Andres Tristan returned an interception from his own end zone to near midfield. Quarter- back Zach Ramirez then connected with Joahan Hernandez on a pass and run near the end of the first quarter. But 21- 7 was as close as the Ti- tans would get.
Riverdale also had two rushing touchdowns by Alejandro Avalos and a rush TD by Solorio. Or- ange Cove had two pass- ing touchdowns in the final 13 minutes of play.
The Titans’ WSL home opener is Friday, Sept. 27, against Mina- rets (3-1, 1-0) in a sched- uled 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
Caruthers 56, Parlier 6
On Sept. 20, the Pan- thers (2-2, 0-1 WSL) were buried by a 21-point as- sault by the host Blue Raiders (4-1, 1-0) in the league opener for both schools.
Senior running back Bobby Staley rushed for 173 yards on just nine carries with two touch- downs while quarterback Trenten Babb passed for 119 yards and another score. Caruthers rushed 373 yards, averaging 11 yards per attempt, and had seven rush TDs.
Parlier has two victo- ries this season, includ- ing a season-opening 33- 7 decision over Tranquil- lity. The Panthers face another tough challenge on Friday, Sept. 27, when Riverdale visits PHS in a 7:30 p.m. varsity kickoff.
of a sudden, your offense is in a good position.”
Marty said that the Tiger defense has been great through the three games. “We are con- tinuing to try and find consistency on offense. But it is tough when you have a lot of new pieces, as we were such a vet- eran group last year. We lean on our backs and offensive line, as we did today.”
The coach added that you never know what a team will look like in the first three games. “We are excited. Obviously, in hindsight, we have been able to roll to some strong victories. But we are really excited about the challenge ahead.”
Marty had high praise for Chambers, who sat out the second half against Contra Costa. “He is just the consum- mate football player. He is dynamic and a team player. He will just jump in there on special teams.”
When told that the sophomore ran for 158 yards, Marty respond by saying, “He could have ran for 400.”
Reedley will be on the road for the next two weeks. When you add in a bye, the Tigers won’t be home again until an Oct. 19 Homecoming game with Gavilan (1-2). After that contest, the RC Ath- letic Department will hold a fundraiser dinner at the college cafeteria.
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Picking up yardage did not come easy for the Emperors against the bigger and faster Division 1 Edison Tigers, as Dinuba senior running back Devon Mendoza (above) learned on Sept. 20. Mendoza finished the game with 86 total yards on 20 carries. Despite the challenge, the Emperors used a balanced attack (142 yards rushing and 124 yards passing) to remain competitive against Edison and extend the game into double overtime.
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ensuing drive. Dinuba High senior running back Angel Lopez then finished the drive by punching into the end zone from a yard out, pulling his team to within a score at 20-13.
It didn’t take long for the Tigers to respond, however. On their ensu- ing position, Edison High junior Demetrius John- son found a hole up the middle on first down and burst threw for a 62-yard touchdown run.
“They were definitely a bigger team than us,” Barajas said. “They have five guys who will be play- ing Division 1 college foot- ball.”
Needing a score before going into the half, the Emperors managed two pull off another feat in the process, stopping the Edi- son offense. After forc- ing the Tigers to punt on their next possession, Di- nuba started in good field position, at the Edison 41-yard line. A few plays layter, Lopez scored his second touchdown of the game, this time hauling in a 16-yard touchdown pass with just 52 seconds left in the first half.
With the Emperors receiving the ball to start the second half, a defen- sive stop before the end of the first half was criti- cal in providing Dinuba the advantage going into halftime.
That stop didn’t come easy, as Edison quickly moved the ball down to the Dinuba 13-yard line
with only five ticks on the clock. A timely timeout by the Dinuba High coaching staff then proved to be the difference after the Tiger’s first, successful, attempt was negated with the Emperor time out. The first half then ended with Edison High’s second at- tempt doinking off the left upright.
Dinuba tightened up on defense in the second half, keeping the Tigers out of the end zone for the remainder of regulation time.
Said Barajas of the second half adjustments, “In the first half, our kids weren’t in the right spots. Once we got aligned we started making stops, stopping the run. And we put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and it made a difference.”
But Edison also turned up the heat on defense, stopping the Emperors on a critical fourth down in the Tiger’s red zone. Facing fourth-and-3 on the 14-yard line, Dinuba elected to go for it and were stopped short.
After another defen- sive stop by the Emperors, Dinuba muffed a punt and ended up starting deep in their own territory. A pass connection from Magaña to classmate Brian Camp- bell helped extend the drive and got them closer to mid field.
The drive seemingly stalled there, as Dinuba’s punting unit came out to kick on fourth and long. The next play was per- haps the Emperor’s big- gest play of the game as Dinuba High senior kick-
er Jorge Duran pulled back the snap for a long scramble down the mid- dle, running for 19 yards, securing a first down and setting up what would subsequently be the Em- peror’s game-tying drive.
Another fourth down conversion, with Magaña hitting senior wide receiv- er Gabriel Moreno, and the Emperors soon found themselves deep in Edi- son’s red zone. Then, on fourth and goal from the five, Magaña rolled to his right and connected with senior wide receiver Cam- eron Amador, who was on a crossing route.
Dinuba’s successful extra point tied the game at 27-27 with just over five minutes left in the game.
Punts on both sides gave Edison the ball at the end of regulation time. The game was sent into overtime after Dinu- ba High senior defender Johnny Garcia came up with a sack as the Tigers went on fourth-and-2 at midfield.
California Interscho- lastic Federation overtime rules are similar to NCAA college football rules, with each team receiving the ball at their opponent’s 25-yard line and each team having an opportu- nity to score.
Dinuba began the first overtime period with the ball and quickly stormed down the short field. Find- ing themselves with multi- ple opportunities at the Ti- ger’s goal line, the Emper- ors were stopped short on each. And on fourth-and- goal at the one-yard-line, Dinuba elected to forgo a
field goal attempt a go for the jugular.
But Dinuba’s lead run- ning back, Devon Men- doza, who had a solid per- formance throughout the game, was stopped inside the one yard line to end the drive.
Any score by the Ti- gers would win the game. But the Emperor’s de- fense buckled down and forced a field goal attempt that ended with a bad snap and likewise turnover on downs, and a second over- time period.
Alternating posses- sions, Edison took their double-overtime drive to pay-dirt on a two- yard touchdown run by Malone. He then punched in the mandatory double- overtime two-point con- version to give the Tigers a 35-27 lead.
The game then ended on an interception by Edi- son High senior corner back Tre Martin.
“It’s nice to be able to compete against a Divi- sion 1 school. They were the better team,” Barajas acknowledged. “But I love the progress these kids have made.
The Emperors go to 2-3 on the season and will now use this week’s bye week to recover and prepare for their league opener on Oct. 4, when they host Central Valley Christian. The Cavaliers are currently 2-2 and face Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo tomorrow night.
“Getting healthy is our priority now,” added Bara- jas. “I’m optimistic about how our team is going to do in league.”
of the Week
MacKenzie Coats - Immanuel High Volleyball
Immanuel High volleyball player MacKenzie Coats was named the Most Valuable Player at the Pink Stampede Tournament in Cambria earlier this month. The senior collected seven kills and 26 digs in a non- league victory over Tulare Union last week, and also added eight kills in a win over Dinuba. She is one of 10 returning players for an Eagles team that reached the Division 4 section nals last season.
REEDLEY 555 I STREET
559-638-2300
www.xcelerate tness.com
Evan Lara
OROSI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Orosi High quarterback Evan Lara was named this week's Athlete of the Week for his performance on September 19 against Avenal. The junior quarterback completed 90 percent of his passes (9 of 10) for 204 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Cardinals to a 37-0 victory.
Athlete
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