If you believe in messages the message to KSRO: Welcome back to the Game of the Week. Analy and Maria Carrillo played a game in the opening broadcast that will be hard to top as the Game of the Year.
FRIDAY
Analy 34 Maria Carrillo 30
Benicia 34 Windsor 27
Rancho Cotate 21 Alhambra 14
Casa Grande 12 Heritage 7
Healdsburg 16 St. Helena 14
Cardinal Newman 41 Novato 19
Sonoma Valley 42 Terra Linda 14
Ukiah 43 Willits 6
Tomales 52 Elsie Allen 6
Justin Siena 54 El Molino 0
St. Vincent 21 Cloverdale 6
Clear Lake 37 Durham 6
Lower Lake 53 Marshall 20
Calistoga 28 South Fork 6
St. Bernard’s 40 Fort Bragg 7
The similarities between this year’s Analy-Maria Carrillo game and last years is that each game had over 60 points scored and Analy won.
You couldn’t help thinking about last year’s game when Analy jumped out to a 20-7 first quarter lead. The last touchdown was a 60 yard fumble return by Kieran Newell.
After that Maria Carrillo controlled the game. Alex Netherda rushed for over 200 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The first score was on a 79 yard run which was also Maria Carrillo’s first quarter touchdown. Netherda was out of the game for most of the second half with what was believed to be cramping issues.
After a first half of big plays, Analy led 27-20. The second half wasn’t as wild. Maria Carrillo went on a ten play-80 yard touchdown drive to tie the game in the third quarter and then looked like they got the break of the game when they recovered a fumble at the Analy 21 with six minutes left. After having a touchdown called back because of a holding penalty, DJ Russell kicked a 27 yard field goal with 4:25 left to give Maria Carrillo a 30-27 lead.
Analy then went 65 yards in four plays before fumbling the ball There would be a bigger fumble. That was by Maria Carrillo with 2:14 left and gave Analy a first and goal at the five yard line.
Maria Carrillo defense almost made the big stand, but on fourth down Analy passed on a field goal attempt to try to tie the game. Will Smith, who came into quarterback for Analy late in the fourth quarter, made it work throwing a four yard pass to Jaxon Cantu for the winning score. Smith ended up 11-14 for 141 yards and the winning touchdown.
In ended an exciting game that had six plays of 40 yards or more in the first quarter alone and ended in a turnover fest, with Analy getting the big one.
The game was played before a packed house at Maria Carrillo, that had the energy of a playoff game.
That wasn’t the only thriller on the schedule.
Windsor, who made a big comeback to take the opener, was the victim of one. After falling behind 14-0 in the second quarter, Benicia rallied to take the win scoring the winning touchdown with :18 left.
Benicia went 52 yards on the last drive in the last two minutes to steal the win. That was after Windsor failed on a fourth down play.
Colin McAlvain had another big game throwing for 275 yards and two touchdowns.
The 14-0 lead was gone by the half. A blocked punt for a touchdown gave Benicia a 21-14 lead at the half and probably played into the thinking of going for the fourth down play before Benicia went on the winning score.
Those two teams are testing the fan base nerves. Windsor had the big rally and then had the winning score with :08 left in its opener while Benicia won its opener in overtime.
While those two thrillers had an offensive theme to things Rancho Cotate, Casa Grande and Healdsburg took defensive games by a combined 14 points.
Rancho Cotate survived its opener against Alhambra stopping a potential tying touchdown pass in the final seconds.
Like Windsor, Rancho Cotate jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half. Sophomore Chris Taylor-Yamanoha had a big hand by catching a pass for the first touchdown and on the next Alhambra possession intercepting a pass in the end zone and making a big return to set up touchdown number two.
Like Windsor, Rancho Cotate lost the lead by halftime but had the only score in the second half.
Seeing a dominating defense isn’t all surprising when talking about Casa Grande. They held Heritage to one second half first down to raise its record to 2-0. John Porchiviana scored Casa Grande’s only touchdown on a two yard run with ten minutes left on a 4th and one play to erase a 7-6 Granada lead.
Despite the defensive theme Casa Grande quarterback JuJuan Lawson passed for 133 yards and rushed for a game high 134.
In what could be a Division 4 playoff preview, Healdsburg scored both of its touchdown’s in the fourth quarter and then held off St. Helena.
St. Helena had a 7-3 lead and went on a 87 yard drive late in the third quarter but fumbled the ball away at the two yard line.
Trysten Cleaver and Jared Walker each scored rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to give Healdsburg a 16-7 lead.
Both teams are now 1-1.
There were some games that didn’t have the suspense value.
Cardinal Newman and Sonoma Valley both go to 2-0 after one sided wins.
Keaton Dunston threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns and ran for one more in the Cardinal Newman win over Novato.
Austin Bailey rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown as Sonoma Valley took a 28-0 halftime lead in its win Terra Linda.
Ukiah goes to 1-1 as they defeated Willits in a game they led 29-6 at the half. The 41 points is two points less than what Ukiah scored in all of 2012.
Ivan Gomez returned the opening kickoff seventy yards for a score to start Tomales on its way to its win over Elsie Allen.
Justin Siena rushed for 375 yards in its win over El Molino.
Derek Murphy rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns to give St. Vincent the lead against Cloverdale. The game was still hanging in the balance in the fourth quarter when Zach Sitchler returned an interception 83 yards to seal the game.
Davide Mansell returned a punt 58 yards for the first score of the game as Clear Lake defeated Durham.
Isazah King rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns to lead Lower Lake over Marshall.
Former Piner Head Coach Matt Tomlin got his first win at St. Bernard as they defeated Fort Bragg.
Just noting…Analy’s upset win over Pittsburg looks even better after they defeated California 35-33. California was ranked No. 24 in the state by Cal Hi Sports.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Besides the wrapping up of the high school football weekend on Saturday the Lenny Wagner ERA begins at SRJC .
The new head football coach for the Bear Cubs begins his career with a trip to Ukiah to meet Mendocino to start the 2013 football season. Kickoff is Saturday at 1 pm.
The 43 year old Wagner replaces Keith Simons who stepped down after a 17 year run at the school. During Simons time, Wagner was defensive coordinator for eleven year with SRJC making a bowl game in ten of the seasons.
Richmond (0-1) at Piner (1-0)
Petaluma (0-1) at Tamalpais (1-0)
Middletown (0-0) at Salesian (1-0)
Kelseyville (0-0) at Upper Lake (0-0)
Montgomery (1-0) and Santa Rosa (1-0) have the week off.
JC FOOTBALL
SRJC (0-0) at Mendocino (0-0) in Ukiah….1 pm
My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net