Once the pre-Coast Conference schedule finishes in two weeks,
Coach Spencer Gilford’s Gavilan football Rams can regroup and take
on the challenge of a balanced five-week conference test.
GILROY
Once the pre-Coast Conference schedule finishes in two weeks, Coach Spencer Gilford’s Gavilan football Rams can regroup and take on the challenge of a balanced five-week conference test.
Saturday night’s showdown with College of the Sequoias, a 56-0 loss at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex, only offered more of the early-season obstacles that make prepping for conference play so difficult.
While the Rams were able to score 14 points against DeAnza and played evenly for the first 20 minutes against Merced last week, Gavilan’s only move was backward against the hungry Giants.
The Rams finished with a negative 51 yards on the ground, zero yards in the air and gave up three safeties, two punt returns for touchdowns and one interception for a touchdown on the game’s first scrimmage play. Of Gavilan’s 39 rushing plays, 30 went for negative yardage.
Gavilan continues pre-conference action Saturday at 6pm at Modesto Junior College against the Pirates.
The Rams performed admirably on defense, limiting the deep Giants offense to four yards per rush and holding the visitors to 142 yards through the air. Inside linebackers Ali Aryanpour and Dustin Leffew were solid against the relentless Sequoias ground game. The Giants also suffered nine personal four penalties to stop their own drives.
Gavilan’s Jakari Johnson was able to provide 23 net yards in 15 rushes. Six other Rams finished with negative yardage.
After Gavilan returned the opening kick-off one yard to the Ram six, starting quarterback Nate Ellis tried to find Jerry Landers in the left flat with a quick pass. Giant defensive back Jaycee Totty intercepted and stepped into the end zone for the 6-0 lead eight seconds into play.
Sequoias nearly added another score on the following kick-off when Dylan Ausherman’s kick-off sailed over both advancing returners, dropped at the one-yard line before rolling into the endzone just before Sequoias could cover the ball in play.
The Giants earned a safety with 13:21 left in the first quarter when RJ Garrett was tackled for a two-yard loss in the endzone to make it 9-0.
When Gavilan was forced to punt from its own 8, Sequoias responded with a 41-yard drive in four plays for a 16-0 cushion. Taylor Genuser’s seven-yard toss to Jeremiah Carter completed the scoring for the quarter.
Sequoias added two safeties and one touchdown in the second quarter for a 27-0 lead.
Cougar Williams returned a Gavilan punt 77 yards on the first play of the second quarter for a 23-0 lead. Ivan Hodges blocked an Anthony Velasquez punt attempt from the end zone for two points with seven minutes left in the half, James Furr was tackled in the end zone for a one-yard loss and safety with 4:32 left for the 27-0 advantage.
Sequoias netted 13 points in the third quarter. A 15-play drive ended with a four-yard run to paydirt by Elijhaa Penny with 7:25 to play in the third. Four plays later, Williams provided a 69-yard punt return for a 40-0 lead.
After Sequoias made it 43-0 on a 40-yard Anthony Sierra field goal, the visitors closed the scoring when linebacker Jimmy Jean recovered a Ram punt in the end zone with 4:57 to play and Aaron Sing raced three yards to a touchdown with 1:29 left.
Sequoias (1-2) finished with a 16-2 edge in first downs.
