Can the Acorns do it, upset the Mount Hamilton Division’s answer
to the Southern California Trojans? They have a better chance of
doing so at 7 p.m. Friday at Richert Field than in past years
MORGAN HILL — The first half of the football season didn’t pan out the way Live Oak coach Jon Michael Porras and his Acorns hoped it would.
A win against powerful Oak Grove could certainly help.
Can the Acorns do it, upset the Mount Hamilton Division’s answer to the Southern California Trojans? They have a better chance of doing so at 7 p.m. Friday at soggy Richert Field than in past years.
By their standards, this is a rebuilding season for the Eagles (2-3 overall, 1-1 league), who have won at least a share of the Mount Hamilton title the past six years. Oak Grove is green — and looking somewhat vulnerable in the wake of its first division loss since 2005, a 14-7 defeat to Pioneer.
Few can recall the last time Oak Grove wasn’t ranked in the San Jose Mercury News’ top 15. The Eagles won the Central Coast Section Open Division title in 2007 and reached the Open Division semifinals a year ago.
“They’re a little inexperienced as in years past, so they’re down,” Porras said. “But they’re speed is the big thing. They’re young, and they’re athletic and fast.
“If it’s raining or wet, it should slow them down a little bit.”
So, pray for rain? It would benefit the Acorns (1-4, 1-1), who are hoping for 3 1/2 yards and a cloud of mud. Damp weather levels the playing field. It limits passing and keeps runs inside.
“We rely on getting four yards a pop,” Porras said. “If we can do that, we can keep up with them. But they run the ball pretty well. They’re a team that keeps doing what they’re doing. Even if you know what’s coming, they’re still going to do it.”
Porras feels his team’s main advantages are discipline and heart.
“We fight hard every game,” the third-year coach said. “We’re not going to try and force big plays. We’re going to take it one play at a time. We feel like we have a shot if we play perfect.”
The Acorns will likely stuff the box to stop the run, moving their star inside linebackers Michael Singleton and Mark Weber right behind the defensive tackles. That will put pressure, though, on Live Oak’s secondary. Oak Grove lost the talented Carr brothers — Omari and Jabari — to graduation in the offseason, but has a receiving threat in tight end Marcus Rosali and a standout running back in Robert Garcia. Both are sophomores.
“They have a lot of young guys that are talented,” Porras said. “We have a good feeling about our defense. We like what we’ve seen from them this season. Michael and Mark are the best in the middle, and Cody Van Aken and T.J. Ornduff are ballhawks.”
After four mediocre performances, Live Oak’s offense broke through last week against Lincoln, gaining 500 yards. Jacob Montoya rushed for a career-high 203 yards and three touchdowns in the 33-13 victory.
“We can’t pass very well right now, but we can have some advantages running the ball. We have to execute,” said Porras, whose team lost 42-0 to Oak Grove in 2008. “Last year, we had a good game plan. Everyone has one against Oak Grove.”
