It was a tale of two football teams going in different
directions last week, as Analy upended previously unbeaten
Healdsburg, 16-14, while El Molino suffered a 35-14 loss to
Petaluma.
Tigers stun Hounds
Annoy was lying in the weeks for the visiting Greyhounds on
Friday, as Healdsburg entered the contest on a roll, averaging 38
points per game. But when the dust cleared at Karlson Field
following the Tiger’s two-point win, Analy knew it had arrived as a
football team.
“This was a huge confidence-builder for us and really made us
believe in ourselves,” said Tiger head coach Dan Bourdon. “It’s one
thing to beat teams that you should, but a win against Healdsburg
showed us that we can play with anybody.”
The Tiger defense turned in its best outing of the season to
date, forcing the Hounds into frequent mistakes and penalties, and
generally disrupting their entire offense.
The Tigers welcomed back junior Mark Adams, who suffered a knee
injury last month and made an immediate impact on his return on
offense.
Following a scoreless first half, the Tigers hit the scoreboard
early in the third quarter when quarterback Jake Zanutto found
pay-dirt on a one-yard keeper. Omar Galvan added the PAT boot and
Analy led, 7-0.
The lead proved to be short-lived as Hounds return man Gerardo
Cervantes took the ensuing kickoff and bolted 91 yards for the
touchdown. The PAT kick was good to knot the contest at 7-7.
The Tigers were on the move two possessions later when Zanutto
directed a 65-yard scoring march culminating in a 30-yard touchdown
pass to emerging sophomore receiver Aaron Maher. The PAT kick was
blocked and Analy led, 13-7 at the end of three.
The Tigers opened up a 16-7 lead with 3:46 left in the fourth
quarter when Galvan nailed a 36-yard field goal, but the Hounds
would answer right back on their next possession. Healdsburg
quickly drove into Analy territory, a drive capped by a one-yard
scoring dive by running back Carson Seanor. The successful PAT kick
made it a 16-14 ballgame.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Analy’s Kyle Lewis,
but the Hounds would force a punt, giving Healdsburg the ball at
the Tiger 11 with 43 seconds left.
Healdsburg would cause the home crowd a few anxious moments when
a pass completion put the ball at the Tiger 45. The comeback bid
ended when a Hail Mary pass fell harmlessly to the ground on the
final play for a 16-14 Analy win.
Zanutto turned in a solid effort, completing 16 of 32 for 243
yards and a touchdown passing, and a score on the ground. Top
rushers were Cooper Maloney (14-38), and Julian Titus-Patino
(2-11). Leading pass-catchers included Titus-Patino (5-64 yards),
Mark Adams (6-79 yards), and Maher (3-87 yards, TD).
Anchoring the Analy defense were Issak Olsen (8 tackles, 2
assists), Dallas Hamilton (5, 3), Maloney (6, 1), Joe Clemmer
(5,2),Tanner Fox (5, 1), Jeff Silveria (3, 1), Weston Owens (3
tackles), Jimmy Pitkin (2, 2, half-sack), Sean Benfield (2, 1,
half-sack), Matt Anderson (2,1), James Toliver (2, 1), Titus-Patino
(INT), and a tackle apiece from Andrew Dannenbring, Taylor Johnson,
and Dylan Anderson.
Lions fall to Trojans
El Molino suffered their most disappointing loss of the campaign
at Petaluma on Friday, falling to the previously winless Trojans,
35-14. The Lions played without the services of star receiver Joe
Douglass, leading tackler Dylan Licciardo, and starting tackle Gary
Hill, all out nursing injuries. In addition, they lost versatile
lineman Angel Razo to injury early in the first quarter.
The result was predictable as quarterback Mike Pierson had
little time to find open receivers.
“My mindset is, we just need to get back on track and in the win
column,” said head coach Mike Roan. “We haven’t stopped anyone in a
few weeks, so I want to see us come out and play the way we were
earlier in the season.”
The Trojans led 6-0 at the end of one, and made it 14-0 midway
through the second quarter before El Mo got untracked. Chet “The
Jet” Lambert returned the kickoff to midfield, and the Lions cashed
in on the ensuing drive when running back Tommy Krausmann found
pay-dirt on a three-yard burst. Taylor Davis nailed the PAT kick
and the Lions trailed, 14-7 at the break.
The Lions made it a new game in the third quarter when Pierson
hooked up with Lambert on a 48-yard scoring pass to knot the
contest at 14-all at the end of three. But things would unravel
quickly in the fourth as a series of El Mo miscues contributed to
three Petaluma touchdowns, propelling the Trojans to an unlikely,
35-14 win.
Pierson deserved better, completing 19 of 35 passes for 264
yards and a touchdown. Other top offensive efforts included
Krausmann (14-44 yards rushing, TD), Lambert (5-85 yards receiving,
TD), Jordan Nordby (5-77 yards receiving), Garrit Afman (3-53 yards
receiving), Levi Karns (4-35 yards receiving), and Nate Palmer
(2-14 yards receiving).
Leading defenders were Eric Reab (10 tackles, assist), Nordby (6
tackles), John Carlson (6 tackles), Jared Garner (5 tackles), Afman
(3, 1), Aren Vierra (3 tackles), Lambert (2, 3), Calvin Sandeen (2,
1), Jose Rodriguez (2, 1), Davis (2 tackles), and one tackle each
from Ben Rhoades, and Karns.
