#5 Windsor will visit #4 seeded Livermore on Saturday
The Jaguars logged their most complete win of the season at exactly the right time on Saturday, scoring a convincing 28-7 win over visiting #12 seeded Mt. Eden in the North Coast Section Division 2 playoff opener at Kirkpatrick Stadium.
The Jags’ offense overcame a slow start for a 7-0 halftime lead, but got it rolling after intermission to win going away.
The victory was a defense lover’s dream, with the Windsor defensive unit recording a season-high 15 sacks, including 10 in the second half as they imposed their will in the trenches.
“Our defense came out and was dominant from the first snap to the last,” Jags head coach Kevin Ballatore said. “It was fun watching us rally and have multiple players to the ball every snap. With us loading the box it put huge pressure on the secondary to cover man to man the entire game and they stood up to the challenge.”
The #5 seeded Jags (4-5) will quickly turn their attention to the next task at hand, a Nov. 18 clash at #4 ranked Livermore (4-7) in a 7 p.m. kickoff. Should Windsor get by Livermore, it will set up a semifinal tilt with the survivor of the #1 Campolindo vs. # 8 Maria Carrillo game on Nov. 24 or 25.
The Livermore Cowboys opened the NCS playoffs with a 40-20 rout over #13 Alameda. Defensively, the Jaguars will have their hands full in containing Cowboys’ running back Mekhi McElroy, who comes in with 1,194 yards rushing and seven touchdowns.
“If we continue to play as a team and thrive off each other’s success we’ll have a chance against Livermore,” Ballatore predicted. “They’re another team that is bringing in a solid run game, but the difference between them and Mt. Eden is they have a tall wide receiver that they love throwing deep to.”
On offense, the Jags are aware of the importance of protecting sophomore quarterback Nick Pariani, a priority against a blitzing team.
“We expect Livermore will attack – they don’t have many defensive snaps without blitzing at least one linebacker,” Ballatore noted. “To be successful, communication with our offensive line will be huge.”
Jags defense keys win
Saturday’s clash with Mt. Eden began as a defensive battle, as the Jaguars broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter to grab a 7-0 halftime lead. The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter for a 14-7 Windsor advantage and the Jags iced the contest with another pair of scores in the fourth quarter to notch a 28-7 win.
Pariani continued to come of age for the Jaguars, completing 19 of 27 passes, including three for touchdowns. Senior all-purpose back Jorgen Sarganis turned in a monster game, churning up 78 yards on 12 carries and one score, while catching six passes. Sarganis capped his night with a scoring pass to teammate Thomas Kulas on a trick play.
Senior Bas Osborn led a relentless Windsor defensive effort with nine solo tackles, three assists and five sacks. Other leading tacklers included linebackers Max Gonzalez, Brett Stibi and Kulas. Linemen Justin Fa’gaata and Jairo Mejia each added four sacks for the Jags.
