Windsor exceeds all expectations; finishes with 9-4 record
The varsity football Jaguars came to the end of an amazing season journey on Friday in the North Coast Section Division 2 championship game, falling to #1 seeded Campolindo, 40-20.
Windsor finished its second best season in school history with an overall record of 9-4.
The Jags began the 2016 campaign with a largely young and untested squad that featured just a couple of starters from last year. The team battled through peaks and valleys born from inconsistency to post a 4-3 North Bay League record before landing a surprise #2 seed in the NCS playoffs.
“We started the season with so many guys playing new positions that we weren’t sure what to expect,” senior quarterback Kobe Roman said. “I have to say we definitely exceeded our expectations this year.”
Following a first-round bye, Windsor notched home victories over #10 Santa Rosa (38-37, OT) and #6 Granada (35-14) to advance to Friday’s title game at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.
Campolindo was no stranger to the NCS title spotlight. The Cougars had won three of the past five Division 3 titles, along with a string of state bowl bids and a state championship in 2014 before moving up to Division 2 this year. Campo advanced to the 2016 championship game with playoff wins over Redwood (59-28) and Ukiah (48-7), stamping them as heavy favorites against an upstart Jaguar’s squad.
Making their first NCS title bid since their championship season of 2011, Windsor sent a strong message on their opening possession as Roman found a streaking Patrick Tappin on third and long on a 55-yard lightening bolt. The ensuing try for the 2-point conversion failed and the Jags led 6-0. The Cougars went to work on offense, settling for a pair of fields goals to knot the contest at 6-6 at the end of one.
The Jaguars surged ahead early in the second quarter when Roman hooked up with Marcel Sands on acrobatic, 44-yard touchdown catch. Kicker Olin Piotter added the PAT boot and Windsor led 13-6.
The touchdown would represent the high water mark for the Jags, as Campolindo scored on a pair of 7-yard passes – the first coming after Windsor was flagged for a roughing penalty on a Campo field goal attempt – giving the Cougars a 20-13 edge at the half.
With momentum on their side, the Cougars used their big-play offense to bust it wide open in the third period, finding pay-dirt on another 6-yard pass from veteran quarterback Jacob Westphal, followed by a successful score on a 55-yard double pass to put Campolindo up 34-13. The Jaguars countered with a drive culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Roman to Jorgen Sarganis to cut the deficit to 34-20 at the end of three.
But this night would belong to the Cougars, capping the game in the fourth quarter with a 19-yard touchdown dagger from Westphal en route to a 40-20 win.
In his lone year as a starting quarterback, Roman wrapped up a terrific fall season with 12 completions on 23 pass attempts for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Other offensive leaders were Jackson Baughman (14-38 yards rushing), David Escarcega (7-23 yards rushing), Sarganis (8-83 yards receiving, TD) and Sands (2-73 yards, TD).
