Windsor looking to regroup this Friday at Santa Rosa
There was no better place to be than Friday at Kirkpatrick Stadium in Windsor for the annual football Homecoming game, an event that was met with as much anticipation as any in recent memory.
Someone forgot to give visiting Rancho Cotate the preferred script however, as the Cougars used a high-octane offense to capitalize on five Windsor turnovers and spoil the Homecoming victory party, 51-23.
The setback pushed Windsor’s season mark to 4-2 and 1-2 in the North Bay League, while Rancho improved to 3-0 in league and 4-2 on the year.
The Jags will be back in action this Friday, Oct. 14 when they visit Santa Rosa in a 7:30 p.m. varsity clash at Ernie Nevers Field. The Panthers (5-1, 2-1) are in the midst of their best season in years, coming off a 41-14 romp over Montgomery last week.
No place like home
After being forced to play all games away from the friendly confines during the first month of the season due to field problems, the Jaguars got the green light for a return home following a complete replenishment of the synthetic fill last week. In fact, the field finally passed a compaction safety test on Oct. 6.
The stage was set and the Homecoming crowd at a fevered pitch for Friday’s meeting with Rancho Cotate, but the Cougars would strike early and often to stun a fired-up Windsor squad.
Rancho found pay dirt just 48 seconds into the contest, when quarterback Jake Simmons found receiver AJ Vallejos on a 71-yard scoring pass for the lead. The Cougars struck again midway through the first quarter when Vallejos cashed in on another 35-yard touchdown catch and run to make it 14-0.
Windsor mounted an ensuing drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal from Olin Piotter, but the Cougars answered with another long touchdown strike to make it 21-3.
Midway through the second, Jag’s quarterback Kobe Roman hooked up with junior receiver Patrick Tappin on a 76-yard catch and run to the Rancho 2-yard line. The play resulted in a 4-yard scoring run from Roman to make it a 21-10 ballgame.
The Jags, who coughed up four fumbles in the first half, would finally give way after intermission. Windsor continued to battle with second-half touchdowns by Jorgen Sarganis and Jackson Baughman, but the Cougars gained separation with a flurry of big plays, including a 63-yard punt return en route to a 51-23 rout.
