Despite stellar plays, Acorns fall to Balers with Vikings on
deck
The Live Oak Acorns dug themselves into a hole that proved too
deep to climb out of in its 28-14 loss to the San Benito Haybalers
last week at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister.
Despite stellar plays, Acorns fall to Balers with Vikings on deck
The Live Oak Acorns dug themselves into a hole that proved too deep to climb out of in its 28-14 loss to the San Benito Haybalers last week at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister.
Before the Acorns could break a sweat, the Haybalers scored on a 33-yard run then returned a fumble on the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead in the Tri County Athletic League opener.
Tonight the Acorns host the North Salinas Vikings, who put a scare into the Palma Chieftains last week. The Chieftains escaped with a 21-13 win after driving the length of the field following a missed Vikings field goal later in the fourth quarter.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Acorns, whose record fell to 0-5-1 overall and 0-1 in the TCAL, seem to be on the threshold of breaking through with a win. There were plenty of promising signs that the Acorns are coming around.
Down by three touchdowns, the Acorns pounced on a fumbled snap by Haybalers quarterback Lee Osborne late in the second quarter. Given the chance to redeem its slow start, the Acorns struck quickly.
After an incomplete pass by Acorns QB Orin Catrett, wide receiver Mike Wolfe caught the Haybalers napping for a 69-yard gain. Provided with the perfect blocking scheme, Wolfe danced through a sea of hands and helmets at the line of scrimmage before breaking free into the Haybalers’ secondary.
Wolfe juked the safety out of his shoes and chewed up yardage before being dragged down at the San Benito 12-yard line. Running back Daniel Salinas closed the deal with an impressive 12-yard touchdown. The Acorns, however, missed the extra point. Salinas finished with 81 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries.
The Acorns added another score in the third quarter when Salinas abused the Haybalers’ defense for a 58-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion, a catch by tight end Greg Davis, made the score 21-14.
Nevertheless, the Acorns could do little to stop the forward momentum of Haybalers running back Trenton Young. Young racked up 146 yard and one touchdown on 27 carries. His 34-yard burst through the gut of the Acorns defense accounted for the first Haybalers score of the evening.
On a second-and-eight Young, after gaining two hard-earned yards on the previous play, received the handoff from Osborne and chugged through a gaping hole opened by his offensive line. Once past the linebackers, Young cut a diagonal beeline across the field toward the endzone with the Acorns defensive backs in hot pursuit.
Following the made extra point, the Haybalers struck again on the ensuing kickoff. Acorns return man Mike Wolfe coughed up the ball after being rung up by Jake Buzzetta. Mike Silva caught the ball midair and sprinted to the endzone for another Haybalers’ touchdown.
The extra-point made it 14-0 before the Acorns could catch their breath.
San Benito landed another gut punch to the breathless Acorns early in the second quarter running back Armando Larez reeled off a 32-yard touchdown run.
“We got off to a nice start. We turned it up in the first half but kind of slacked off in the second half,” said Osborne. “We have to work on playing for all four quarters.”
That’s also some sound advice for the Acorns in tonight’s match up. Live Oak has to come out prepared to play from the starting gun and never let up until the final horn.
Setting the tone is important.
Salinas has to impose himself on the Vikings defense and its senior linebacker Johnny Carrillo. Catrett must shake off his rusty 3-of-13, 13-yard, one interception performance and challenge the Viking’s best defensive back Brandon Smith.
