One play encapsulated the Anzar High football team’s 60-42 loss to visiting Pinewood on Friday in an 8-man Mission Trail League game. Having just cut its deficit to 38-34 with 4 minutes, 4 seconds left in the third quarter, the Hawks (3-5 overall, 1-4 in league) looked like they were going to get the ball back with Pinewood facing a fourth-and-25 from its own 18-yard line.
However, the Panthers opted for a run out of the punt formation, with Alex Banning going around left end for a 62-yard touchdown to extend the Pinewood (5-2, 3-2) lead back to 14 points. Pinewood had burned Anzar with runs down the left seam throughout, but this one was the dagger, keeping the Hawks from potentially changing the outcome of the game.
The result was a frustrating night for the Hawks, whose early problems on special teams—they had a punt blocked and turned the ball over on downs after trying to run the ball on a fake punt—both resulting in Pinewood taking the ensuing possessions for touchdowns.
Even though the Hawks knew their chances of winning was dwindling in the fourth quarter, they didn’t give up or hang their heads, even after watching Pinewood break off big play after big play.
“It feels good knowing everyone kept their heads up no matter what,” said Anzar running back Angel Jimenez, who rushed for a game-high 178 yards on 26 carries, including touchdown runs of 20, 3 and 1 yards. “It means a lot that we played our butts off. Even though we lost, we gave a great effort.”
Anzar wingback Julio Mora had a solid game, rushing for 77 yards on 18 carries, including TD runs of 2, 7 and 3 yards. While Jimenez bowled over defenders, often carrying players for several yards, Mora used his cutback ability and elusiveness in the open field.
Both players took advantage of an offensive line that consistently opened up nice running lanes. The line of Ben Whitman, Cody Fisher, Austin Io, Rogelio Torres and R.J. Scally played physical and tough, something Jimenez appreciated.
“I wouldn’t have been able to gain those yards without my offensive line,” he said. “I credit them for allowing me to make those runs.”
Unfortunately for the Hawks, their defense had several breakdowns—Pinewood had 10 plays that gained 20 yards or more, including TD plays of 32, 35, 48, 62 and 70 yards. Hawks linebacker Andrew Huaracha produced a couple of bone-jarring hits, but the Panthers pretty much did whatever they wanted offensively.
Anzar took its only lead on Mora’s 3-yard TD run, making it 20-18 with 2:10 left until halftime. But Pinewood answered with a TD on the ensuing possession, a pattern that repeated itself from start to finish. Eddie Mohssin rushed for 49 yards on seven carries, part of the Hawks’ 321-yard output on the ground.
The Hawks threw the ball just twice—with one resulting in an interception.
Game Box
Pinewood 12 12 30 6—60
Anzar 6 14 14 8—42
Scoring summary
P—Riches 26 pass from Bailey (pass failed)
A—Mora 2 run (run failed)
P—Murphy 53 kickoff return (pass failed)
A—Mora 7 run (run failed)
P—Murphy 35 pass from Bailey (pass failed0
A—Mora 3 run (Jimenez run)
P—Riches 32 pass from Bailey (run failed)
P—Murphy 26 run (pass failed)
A—Jimenez 20 run (run failed)
P—Murphy 70 run (Murphy run)
A—Jimenez 3 run (Mora run)
P—Banning 62 run (Riches pass from Bailey)
P—Murphy 48 run (Riches pass from Bailey)
A—Jimenez 1 run (Mora run)
P—Murphy 11 run (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING (carries-yards): PINEWOOD—Murphy 14-169, Banning 1-62, Dagman 6-6, Bailey 6-20. Totals 27-257. ANZAR—Jimenez 16-178, Mora 18-77, Mohssin 7-49, Galvan 8-19, Huaracha 1-2, Gil 5-(-4). Totals 66-321. PASSING (comp-att-yds-td-int): PINEWOOD—Bailey 10-19-172-3-0. ANZAR—Gil 1-2-4-0-1. RECEIVING (catches-yards): PINEWOOD—Riches 2-51, S. Murphy 2-45, Fick 2-39, Hodgett 2-9, K. Murphy 3-24. Totals 10-172. ANZAR—Jimenez 1-4. TOTAL OFFENSE: PINEWOOD 257-172-429. ANZAR 321-4-325.
