Live Oak handily beat winless Hill 28-14 Friday in San Jose to
set the stage for next week’s Mount Hamilton Division showdown at
Oak Grove. The only question is, will the Acorns have the league’s
leading rusher at their disposal?
SAN JOSE — A formality it was indeed.
Live Oak handily beat winless Hill 28-14 Friday in San Jose to set the stage for next week’s Mount Hamilton Division showdown at Oak Grove.
The only question is, will the Acorns have the league’s top rusher at their disposal?
Cody Van Aken injured his ankle in the second half against the Falcons and was taken out for good after a play. As of Saturday, Live Oak coach Jon Michael Porras did not know the extent of the injury.
“We’re just hoping it’s not serious. He’s a big part of this team,” Porras said of his 6-foot, 185-pound senior running back, who entered the game with 684 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Blair Zerr picked up in place of Van Aken, rushing for 100-plus yards, including a 45-yard touchdown run that all but sealed the win early in the fourth quarter.
Live Oak (4-2 overall, 2-1 league) led 21-0 at halftime before Hill scored twice in the third quarter to make it a one-possession game.
The Acorns could have led by more if not for three lost fumbles.
“Other than that, I was pleased overall,” Porras said. “We were able to do anything we wanted to do rushing the ball. We just had a few lapses and sort of coasted through the start of the second half.”
Senior wideout Jacob Montoya scored on a 40-yard sweep to cap Live Oak’s opening drive and also caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Dominic Bejarano, as the Acorns jumped out to an early lead. Van Aken, who rushed for about 60 yards, added a 6-yard touchdown run.
Senior cornerback Julio Aguayo intercepted two passes for Live Oak’s defense, which held the Falcons (0-6, 0-3) to less than 50 yards in total offense during the first half.
True to their MO, the Acorns controlled the time of possession with long drives. Their front five received a strong effort from freshman center Josh Priest.
“He had a big game,” Porras said. “We’re all about driving the ball and staying in control, and he helped us do that.”
Live Oak’s game plan will be the same next week against high-powered Oak Grove –- ranked as high as 15th in the Central Coast Section. The Eagles took a step back in 2009 after winning at least of share of seven straight Mount Hamilton championships but are poised to rekindle their past glory.
Oak Grove is home to the league’s second-leading rusher, Jacari Carr (87.2 yards per game) and easily its biggest crop of linemen.
“They’re super athletic,” Porras said. “Hopefully, it’s an ugly game. Those are the kind we win.”
