Salinas
– For the second consecutive week, Live Oak won a football game
by posting 35 points on the board. Their most recent victory was in
a 35-18 contest against Alvarez at “The Pit” Saturday. Both
Tri-County Athletic League rivals Live Oak and Gilroy have scored
70 points each, and both have spark
ling 2-0 records in the early part of the season.
Salinas – For the second consecutive week, Live Oak won a football game by posting 35 points on the board. Their most recent victory was in a 35-18 contest against Alvarez at “The Pit” Saturday.
Both Tri-County Athletic League rivals Live Oak and Gilroy have scored 70 points each, and both have sparkling 2-0 records in the early part of the season.
Alvarez, which just got a couple ineligible players back, was still playing without a couple a couple key players because of health. And it showed in their play.
“They’re a little banged up, but they’re still a good physical team,” said Live Oak coach Rick Booth. “You still have to come out and play.”
The Acorns (2-0) got off to a quick start after posting 21 consecutive points in the first half. It wasn’t until late in the second quarter when Alvarez (0-2) was able to score on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Adrian Estrada to Ricky Cardona.
The teams traded touchdowns in the second half.
Dustin Muhn and Kevin Abbott both rushed for about 90 yards each to lead the Acorns. Muhn scored two touchdowns, and Abbott scored one.
Live Oak came out strong right from the start, scoring a pair of touchdowns before the Eagles could catch their breaths from their pre-game jog through the tunnel onto the field.
Abbott had a 4-yard run for the first touchdown with 9:02 left. The Eagles got just one play in before Oliver Garcia recovered a fumble for Live Oak. Muhn scored on a 4-yard run and then caught the 2-point conversion.
“We started off really good,” Muhn said. “But then it kind of got away from us a little. We have to step it up because we know it will get harder.”
Both teams had touchdowns called back in the game. Live Oak reached the end zone on their third straight drive to start the game, but a clipping penalty negated a pass about 50 yards from Ryan Bennett to Abbott.
With 7:30 left, Alvarez’s David Valenzuela picked up a ball in the back field and ran it into the end zone, but it was called back because of a hold.
Alvarez eventually scored after a roughing-the-passer penalty and then a 1-yard run by Curtis Shell. But by then, there was only five minutes left.
“It was not pretty,” Booth said. “We did some good things at times. Our defense bent a little but did not break. We’re not as physical of a team as we could be.”
The Live Oak rushing game had no trouble not being physical, maybe even a little too physical at times.
The Alvarez quarterbacks were under constant pressure and never could get into much of an offensive rhythm.
Muhn converted a fake punt in the second quarter on 4th-and-18 by racing down the right sideline to set up the Acorns’ third touchdown, which he ran in from 22 yards out.
“I was a little nervous because it was the first time we had that play called,” Muhn said.
Bennett, who took the majority of snaps for the Acorns, was usually efficient in his limited attempts, going 6-for-9 for 83 yards. One of his attempts could have been caught for a touchdown, but the receiver bobbled the ball briefly and was unable to haul it in.
Bennett, who was replaced by Steven Webb late in the game, completed a 32 yard pass to Jimmy Mallette for a touchdown in the third quarter and then ran the ball in from three yards out for another six points in the third quarter.
One of his Bennett’s few miscues was when he was picked by David Valenzuela with 3:25 left in the third quarter. Valenzuela returned the ball 18 yards for the score.
“He did some good things at times. He held on to the ball for the most part,” Booth said. “There were just a couple bad throwing decisions on his part.”
Live Oak will be playing visiting Alisal Friday.
“It looks like Live Oak is definitely back,” said second-year Alvarez coach Ben Herning, who coached at Live Oak from 1998 to 2000.
“They’re a team you don’t want to play right now. I have the utmost respect for coach Booth and coach (Glen) Webb.”
JVS WINNERS
Live Oak’s junior varsity squad defeated Alvarez 18-6 Saturday in Salinas. Stephen Rodriguez scored all three touchdowns for the 2-0 Acorns. The first was from about 12 yards out in the second quarter after he broke a couple tackles. Rodriguez’s second was from about five yards rafter he powered through the middle early in the third quarter. The final score was setup by a 14-yard run by quarterback Adam Perez right after a penalty had moved the Acorns back. Rodriguez scored on a 4-yard run with 7:48 left in the game.
Stephen Smith had two interceptions for the Acorns. One was ran back for a touchdown, but it was called back. Roman Orta came in for Perez when he was out with injury and had a good showing. Jason Sabala had strong performance on the defensive line for the Acorns.
“I was very frustrated at the end of the first half but happy at the end of second,” said coach John Michael Porras. “It was like two different teams.”
