San Jose – In both teams’ season openers the Santa Teresa Saints
defeated the Sobrato Bulldogs 13-3 Saturday with consistent kicking
and one exciting kick-off return.
San Jose – In both teams’ season openers the Santa Teresa Saints defeated the Sobrato Bulldogs 13-3 Saturday with consistent kicking and one exciting kick-off return.
While Sobrato notched 245 yards of total offense, 122 rushing and 123 receiving, they could not punch the ball through for a touchdown and would be held to only one field goal the entire game.
On their first possession the Bulldogs were called for two penalties, holding and illegal use of the hands, and were forced to punt.
Senior wide receiver and kicker Jarom Warren booted the ball 50 yards from Santa Teresa’s 30-yard-line to the Sobrato 20-yard-line.
Santa Teresa then marched 69 yards on 12 plays, taking four minutes off the clock, to their own 11-yard-line where junior kicker Andrew Amezquita put three points on the board with a 15-yard field goal.
Sobrato would maintain possession for all but one play for the rest of the first quarter, but would not score.
The Sobrato defensive line kept the pressure on Santa Teresa throughout the second quarter hurrying Saints quarterback Mitch Bowman three times resulting in two sacks.
On the fourth play of the second quarter Sobrato’s senior outside linebacker Shane Kendall brought down Santa Teresa quarterback Mitch Bowman for a sack, but no loss.
On Santa Teresa’s second possession of the quarter Sobrato’s senior defensive tackle Vincenzo Cetani sacked Bowman, deep in Sobrato territory, for a loss of four yards.
Led by the sharp passing of junior quarterback Erick Levell, the Sobrato offense marched 75 yards on 13 plays but again could not find a way onto the scoreboard, and would go into half-time down 3-0.
Coming onto the field for the second half Sobrato head coach Dan Brown said, “We just went over a couple of errors that we needed to correct … mainly just finishing the drives.
We had a couple of opportunities that got away from us, so we went over some fundamental adjustments that were needed.”
On the opening kick-off of the second half, Santa Teresa’s junior deep man Josh Shelton returned the ball 80 yards from the 20-yard-line, dashing through the Sobrato kick-off team, for the first and only touchdown of the game for either team.
After receiving a penalty for over-celebrating the touchdown, Amezquita knocked in a 30-yard extra point, bringing the Saints lead to 10-0.
Hungry to answer back in the third quarter, the Bulldogs maintained possession of the ball for all but one short, unsuccessful Santa Teresa possession, but would not score until the first play of the fourth quarter.
Driving 56 yards on 12 plays, the Sobrato offense set up sophomore Adam Guerra for a 15-yard field goal, their first score of the game and the season, bringing the score to 10-3.
Not to be outdone, Santa Teresa answered back on their ensuing possession with a 17-yard field goal from Amezquita.
With six minutes, 35 seconds on the clock, down 13-3, Sobrato’s junior cornerback Alex Meldrum intercepted Bowman’s pass at the 35-yard line and weaved 29-yards to the Sobrato six yard-line.
Sobrato’s junior running back Anthony Zizzo gained two yards on first and goal.
On second and goal Zizzo broke the plane with a four-yard run up the middle, but the touchdown was called back due to holding and un-sportsman like conduct penalties on Sobrato.
Penalties plagued both teams as Sobrato was called for 11, and Santa Teresa was called for 10.
“I was a little bit upset at the 30-yard penalty,” Brown said. “You just can’t overcome that kind of stuff, so we definitely have to clean up our mistakes.”
After two incomplete passes Sobrato would again have to settle for another field goal attempt.
Levell completed 18 of 30 passes for 123 yards, and Sobrato’s senior tight end Robert Glew led all receivers with five receptions for 53 yards.
With four minutes, 14 seconds left on the clock, and facing a long fourth and goal, Guerra’s field goal attempt from 36-yards out sailed far left of the goal post, and Sobrato turned the ball over on downs.
“We didn’t make the most of our opportunities in the red zone,” Brown said.
In practice this week Brown said he plans to work with his team on execution and timing.
“We need to work more on knowing where we’re at when where we’re down the distance,” he said.
Santa Teresa head coach Nick Alfano was happy with his team’s performance, considering this was their first run against another team.
“We didn’t scrimmage this year, so this was our first time on the field in game-like conditions,” Alfano said. “There were a lot of mistakes, but I think we’ll be even better next Friday night now that we got our feet wet and now that some of these young kids have played Varsity football.”
In regards to Sobrato, Alfano thinks the Bulldogs will have a standout season.
“That’s a good football team over there,” he said. “They’re probably even to us, and they’ll have a good time in the C league … I think they’re gonna win it.”
