Live Oak keeps it close, but can’t overcome Oak Grove
San Jose – Live Oak hung tough with Oak Grove in the first half, but turnovers derailed the Acorns in a 43-20 loss on the road in Thursday’s season finale.
The Acorns finish the season 5-5 overall and 2-5 in Blossom Valley Athletic League Mount Hamilton Division play.
Oak Grove went unbeaten, clinching the division title with a 9-0-1 overall record and 7-0 in league play.
Before the game, Live Oak saw that it might have picked up a win from a forfeit by Branham for a league rules violation. But after the game, the BVAL commissioner told head coach Rick Booth that no one would benefit from the punishment.
But in the game, the Acorns were focused on trying to earn their way into a possible Central Coast Section playoff berth.
However, Live Oak would have a rocky start.
The Acorns trailed at the half 30-13 thanks to two turnovers and a long kickoff return.
“We just couldn’t match that team’s speed,” Booth said. “They have some awfully good athletes.”
Live Oak’s offense was led by senior running back Kevin Abbott, who racked up 195 yards rushing. Abbott also had the longest play from scrimmage of the game, taking the ball 72 yards to paydirt in the second quarter to cut Oak Grove’s lead to 20-13. It was also more than enough to put Abbott over the 3,000 mark for his Live Oak career.
Abbott has a total of 3,074 in his three-year varsity stint at Live Oak.
But despite the milestone, things started ominously for Live Oak.
On the second play from scrimmage, the Acorns fumbled a pitch play that Oak Grove pounced on.
The Eagles needed just 53 seconds and three plays before Nevin Gardiner ran 12 yards for a touchdown.
Gardiner proved to be the big offensive weapon for the Eagles, rushing for 229 yards on 20 carries.
On Oak Grove’s second series, he went 51 yards on two carries to set up a six-yard pass from Kevin Vye to Larry Lacotti to put the Eagles up 13-0.
Live Oak responded on its following series with 13-play drive that took a little more than six minutes, with Victor Kalata running for the final five yards and the score.
But Live Oak’s 13-7 deficit did not last long.
Running back Stacy Long took the ensuing kickoff more than 80 yards to put the Eagles back up by a 13-point margin.
The Acorns put together a promising drive with excellent field position, starting at Oak Grove’s 48.
After four-straight running plays for a total of 18 yards, quarterback Timothy O’Rourke was picked off by linebacker Mark Forest.
Two plays and 45 yards later, the Eagles went up 30-13 on a 6-yard pass play to Long.
O’Rourke said despite the turnovers, his offense still played well.
“The offense moved the ball real well,” O’Rourke said. “They are just a really good team.”
In the second half, the Acorns eliminated the turnovers, but were shutdown otherwise by the Eagles.
To combat the running plays, Oak Grove ran stunts on defense, sacking O’Rourke twice.
The offense, however, was able to put the ball in one more time in the fourth quarter when Abbott ran for seven yards to cap off a 52-yard drive.
Oak Grove, however, found the endzone twice in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach for the Acorns.
Junior Varsity
The Live Oak junior varsity team lost 56-0 to Oak Grove, finishing in second place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mount Hamilon Division.
The Acorns yeilded eight turnovers and the Eagles scored off a kickoff return.
Live Oak finishes the season 7-2-2 overall and 6-1-1 in league.
