Four turnovers and failed extra point attempt haunt Bulldogs in
one-point loss to Prospect on Homecoming Night
Morgan Hill – In an offensively-challenged game, the Sobrato High football couldn’t overcome four costly turnovers and lost to visiting Prospect 7-6 on Homecoming Night on Friday at Live Oak.
The two teams combined for only 225 yards of total offense and in the end, a missed extra point attempt after a third-quarter Bulldogs touchdown proved to be the difference.
Sobrato had its best chance to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter when it drove to the Panthers’ 29-yard line, but a fumbled exchange between sophomore quarterback Erick Levell and senior running back Erik Woodruff was recovered by Propsect to end the Bulldogs threat.
“One exchange went bad and it changed the whole game,” Woodruff said. “We could’ve had a drive and we could’ve pulled something off there. We just couldn’t handle it.”
The loss dropped Sobrato to 1-3-1 overall and 1-1 in Blossom Valley Athletic League West Valley Division play.
“It’s frustrating because there’s something here, but we’ve got to learn how to win,” Bulldogs coach Dan Brown said. “You don’t lose on the PAT, but definitely that should be routine. We did lose on a special teams play, but we were one play away, either way. I definitely felt (the fumble) was the play. We had them because the momentum was with us.”
For the second straight week, Sobrato saw the opposing quarterback knocked out early in the game when Prospect’s Zach Stevenson was sacked by Tim Cavanaugh and Genaro Redmond on the Panthers second possession and he never returned. With Stevenson out, Prospect appeared to adjust its game plan, which had been a pass first, run second type of strategy.
“It looked like they couldn’t really do what they wanted to do,” Brown said.
Jeremy Eseroma, who entered the game as the Panthers leading rusher, carried the ball 20 times and gained 77 yards – more than half of his prior season-to-date rushing total.
Early in the second quarter, backup quarterback David Matusewicz connected with top receiver Kendall Hendon on a 14-yard quick slant play for a touchdown.
“Believe it or not, we were doubling him,” Brown said. “I coudn’t believe that went for a touchdown. That was just shocking.”
The second half started slow, with both teams exchanging a pair of three-and-outs.
Sobrato’s Anthony Zizzo returned Prospect’s second punt of the quarter 19 yards to set up the Bulldogs at the Panthers’ 35.
On fourth-and-four from the 29, Sobrato elected to go for it and Levell hooked up with Zizzo on a 19-yard catch and run. Two plays later, Woodruff scored from four yards out to make it 7-6 before the ensuing extra point attempt sailed wide left.
“We’ve got to remember this (loss) all the time,” said Woodruff, who gained 86 yards rushing on 23 carries. “Every week we have to remember this and we’re going to play our butts off next week.”
Junior varsity
Morgan Hill – Sobrato’s JV football team continued to roll with a 34-0 win over Prospect to improve to 5-0 on the season.
Adam Guerra did a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs. He caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Steven Sorce and added an interception and blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
Behind great blocking from the offensive line, Mark Borland, Ricky Estremera and Taylor Ortez all added rushing touchdowns.Ortez also recording an interception and Thomas Torres had two interceptions as Sobrato recorded its second shutout of the season.
