The Central Coast Barnstormers defeated the Coastside Panthers
21-6 Saturday at Andrew Hill School to win the Northern California
Amateur Football Federation Southern Division title.
San Jose – The Central Coast Barnstormers defeated the Coastside Panthers 21-6 Saturday at Andrew Hill School to win the Northern California Amateur Football Federation Southern Division title.
The Barnstormers (10-0) will play for the Northern California championship against the Richmond War Angels, who won the Northern Division title by defeating the Stockton Trojans 20-12. The game will be at 4pm Saturday at Foothill College.
“Both teams played outstanding defense,” said Barnstormer defensive coordinator Gil Vizzuzi. “You got to hand it to them. We tried to put pressure on their quarterback and keep him off balance because he is talented and can make things happen.”
The Barnstormers, who won the last meeting of the teams 19-6, struggled to get anything going against Coastside (5-5) for most of the first half, leading by just a touchdown at halftime. There were six turnovers in the first quarter, four by the Panthers and two by the Barnstormers.
After a good punt pinned the Panthers deep in their own territory, Tyrone Ward picked off a pass and returned it about 20 yards for the score with 26 seconds left in the first quarter. It was his third pick of the day.
“I play every down like the ball is coming to me,” Ward said. “They played good defense, but we came in believing we are going to score points. There is a lot of potential on this team.”
With the exception of that defensive touchdown, the Barnstormers couldn’t get anything going offensively.
One of the players the Panthers were able to contain was the always-dangerous Derrick Morrison, who is capable of busting out for a big run at any time. His longest run of the day was for 11 yards, but he had several big runs in a drive to help the Barnstormers score their second touchdown, a one-yard run with 1:03 left in the third.
“They came out with their game and brought it hard,” said Morrison. “They had nothing to lose. This game was won by our defense.”
The Barnstormer defense came through shortly before the first half ended to hold the 7-0 lead. The Panthers started on the Barnstormers 41-yard line and got all the way to the 18-yard line with rushes by leading rusher Jermaine Hargraves. Coastside had an incomplete pass then spiked the ball with 14 second left.
Good pressure by Benigno Morales kept quarterback Dion Pickett from making a completion, and a reverse was read perfectly by the Barnstormers.
The Panthers got within 14-6 on a 16-yard touchdown catch by Tyreece Perry with 9:32 left in the fourth. The defense kept Pickett from getting a pass off on the two-point attempt. Coastside picked up about 40 yards on the punt that set up the drive after the Barnstormers took a penalty and had to re-kick.
The Barnstormers put the game away with a three-yard touchdown by David Carriedo. Carriedo and Tommy Jimenez put together several nice carries in the 80-yard drive. Quarterback Bryan Smith connected with Donta Anderson on a 25-yard catch off a slant. Jamie Iracheta made all three of his PATs for the Barnstormers during the game.
The game, which was full of penalties and miscues, was stopped by the referees with 1:56 left after tempers started to flare.
“It’s a shame it had to end that way,” said Panther coach Ernie Garcia. “That’s what happens when you got two good football teams going at it. I think we can match up with anyone, but they were the better team today.”
