Jaguars 2-0 entering bye week
The varsity football Jaguars overcame key mistakes and a malfunctioning game clock in week two of the pre-league schedule on Friday, getting a huge effort from their defensive unit to emerge with an unlikely 7-0 victory over host Northgate.
The win pushed Windsor’s record to a perfect 2-0, with a bye on the schedule this week. The Jaguars resume preseason action on Friday, Sept. 16 when they visit Sunset Field in Hayward. Kickoff times for the JV and varsity are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
The clock situation added to the unusual vibe in Friday’s contest, forcing both teams to rely on the watch of the head referee to manage the game. In addition, the Jag’s offense saw several promising drives come up empty, coughing it up four times inside their opponent’s red zone to put added pressure on their defense.
“Our defense was on the field about three-quarters of the game, but our kids played their hearts out and did a super job,” head coach Tom Kirkpatrick said. “Overall it was a great team effort, and in a game like this, it was good to come away with a win.”
Defense steps up
The Jags can take a cue from the late General Douglas MacArthur, who once said, “We have met the enemy and it is us.”
Friday’s win probably could have been more lopsided, had the Jaguars not shot themselves in the foot on a few scoring opportunities. Windsor had two drives end with interceptions, while two more came up short on lost fumbles.
“The turnovers were uncharacteristic of the team,” Kirkpatrick said. “It wasn’t on any one or two guys, it was just a matter of some bad exchanges and not taking care of the football.”
The Jaguars needed a great performance from their defensive unit against Northgate and got exactly that, putting constant pressure on the Bronco’s quarterback in recording seven sacks.
Windsor broke a scoreless tie midway through the second quarter following a nice punt return by Jorgen Sarganis, setting the Jags up inside Northgate territory. A few plays later quarterback Kobe Roman hooked up with receiver Jordan Diaz on a 20-yard touchdown strike. Olin Piotter added the PAT kick and Windsor led by a touchdown at the half. The score proved to be the only one of the game for either team, as the Jag’s defense dug in to preserve a 7-0 win.
Defensive leaders for Windsor included Joey Pignataro (10 tackles, sack), Jarrod Mulholland (9 tackles), Jackson Baughman (9 tackles), Bas Osborn (7 tackles, 3 sacks), Jairo Mejia (5 tackles, 3 sacks), Justin Faagata (5 tackles) and Logan Connor (5 tackles). Pacing the offense were Roman (12-24, 174 yards passing, TD), Jackson Baughman (6-35 yards rushing), David Escarcega (7-19 yards rushing), Zack Rackman (2-57 yards receiving) and Diaz (TD receiving).
