Jags push overall record to 3-3; visit Rancho Cotate on Friday
It may have been seven years since the Jaguars last squared off with the Analy Tigers in a league football game, but Friday’s 38-31 victory was well worth the wait.
The North Bay League opener at Chip Castleberry Stadium was the definition of a barnburner, a game that featured more momentum swings than the 2016 presidential election.
When the dust cleared, the Jags had notched their third win in six season games and the first in the newly aligned, ultra competitive Oak Division.
“We’re excited for the win but not satisfied with how we played,” Windsor head coach Brad Stibi said later. “If we eliminate the mistakes we will be able to compete with Rancho Cotate. We need to keep playing physical football.”
The Jaguars will now turn their attention to the next league challenge – a Friday, Oct. 5 visit to perennial power Rancho Cotate. The Cougars (0-1, 5-1) weathered their first season loss on Sept. 28 in a 42-21 setback to Cardinal Newman and will no doubt be out for redemption against the Jags.
“This week’s match-up we will have to be successful stopping Rancho’s strong run game,” Stibi noted. “Also, our special teams need to really contribute. “We can’t make the mistakes against Rancho as we did against Analy.”
Ground game keys win
Windsor entered Friday’s clash at Analy knowing they had to run the ball effectively to have success and that’s exactly what happened. Junior running back Lorenzo Leon followed a strong push by the offensive line to set the tone early, as the Jags took a 10-7 lead after one.
Trailing 17-7 in the second quarter, Analy mounted a stunning comeback, fueled by big plays by quarterback Nic Visser, receivers Tyler Nebozuk and Vince Willis. A late field goal by kicker Miguel Escamilla put the Tigers up 24-17 at the break.
Windsor came out with renewed intensity in the third quarter, mounting a scoring drive to knot the contest at 24-all at the end of three.
In a break-out game, Jag’s junior quarterback Nick Pariani continued to connect through the air with receivers Mikey Contreras and Landon Estrella to regain the lead, while the defense held the Tigers to just one touchdown after intermission en route to a 38-31 victory.
Pariani finished up the best night of his high school career with 13 completions on 19 pass attempts for 236 yards and three touchdowns, adding one score on the ground.
Leon led the ground attack with 32 carries for a season-high 164 yards and one touchdown. Top receivers were Contreras (6-135 yards, 2 TDs) and Estrella (4-49 yards, TD). Middle linebacker Oscar Mayorga (12 tackles, fumble recovery) anchored the defense, while other top defenders were Christian Jernigan (4 tackles, 2 pass knockdowns, sack) and Ben Smith (5 tackles, sack).
