The Hollister Pee Wee Vikings ran through the season and league
championships undefeated. But the teams finally met their match
against Reno on Saturday morning playing in the regional
semi-finals.
The Jr. Pee Wee Vikings, coming in with just one loss this
season, suffered the same fate. Both teams played well defensively,
but had trouble getting points on the scoreboard.
By TOM VIVIAN
The Hollister Pee Wee Vikings ran through the season and league championships undefeated. But the teams finally met their match against Reno on Saturday morning playing in the regional semi-finals.
The Jr. Pee Wee Vikings, coming in with just one loss this season, suffered the same fate. Both teams played well defensively, but had trouble getting points on the scoreboard.
Meanwhile the Cowboys, already eliminated from the championship chase, ended their season on a winning note as they triumphed in an invitational bowl game.
Pee Wee Division
Reno 14, Hollister 0
The Hollister Vikings defense played well, giving up only two scores in the game, but that was all that the Reno Razerbacks needed with their defense.
Bryan Garza, Evan McFadden, Kyle Vallejo and Brandon Pina contained the explosive Razorback running attack for most of the game, but they couldn’t stop them completely from moving the ball and eating up valuable time.
The Vikings got off to a good start on the opening kickoff. Quarterback Trevor Fabing hit Mitchell Cook for a 20-yard pass play on the game’s first play. But penalties killed that drive and forced a punt.
Reno put together a touchdown drive, set up by some long runs in the second quarter, to get on the board.
Ryan Shorey recovered an onside kick in the second half to give the Vikings the ball back.
But the Vikings were unable to move the ball against the Reno defense.
The Razorbacks scored again early in the fourth quarter after a Hollister turnover.
The Vikings had a chance to get back in the game, but Reno stopped Hollister with two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Jr. Pee Wee Division
Reno 20, Hollister 6
The Reno Chiefs opened the game with a 65-yard scoring drive and never looked back.
Just like in the other defeat this season, the Hollister defense played well, but the offense forced the defense to be on the field for most of the game.
The Vikings defense looked impressive after the first score, stopping the Chiefs twice in succession.
Joshua Greenwood broke up a fourth-down pass to stop a Reno drive, and Isaak Ramos stopped another with a big third-down sack.
Conner Stevens made several plays in the backfield.
The Chiefs led 13-0 at halftime and scored an insurance touchdown early in the third quarter after a Viking fumble. Hollister seemed to get offensive sparks throughout the game, but they never really got a fire going.
In the second quarter, Tyler Decker completed a pass to Ricky Rodriguez. But Reno adjusted and did not allow many more pass completions.
Late in the third quarter, Adolfo Davila and Andre Cornell had two consecutive long runs, but an interception foiled the Viking drive. A fumble stopped another drive short.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Mikey Soto recovered a fumble to give Hollister the ball deep in Reno territory, and Cornell swept into the end zone on a 21-yard run to spare the Vikings from being shut out.
Midget Division
Hollister 22, Lassen 0
The Hollister Cowboys found out there is life after elimination, responding to an invitation to participate in a bowl game Saturday in Richmond against the Lassen Grizzlies.
After losing the Peninsula league championship to Cambrian Valley last week, the Cowboys came out with something to prove.
The Cowboy defense, which has been strong all year, systematically shut down the Reno Midget runner up. The Cowboys defense, led by Jaime Driskill, Abel Jacquez, Michael Decker, Anthony Flores, Roman Miranda, Miles Sanchez, Matt Hamilton, David DelaCruz George Luna and Chris Koroluk, shut out the Grizzlies. The defense allowed just one first down in the entire game.
The offense did its part too. The Cowboys scored on their first play from scrimmage after starting on the Grizzlies 25-yard line on a failed punt. Abel Jacquez caught the touchdown pass from Russell Czernek to put Hollister up 6-0.
After two Cowboy touchdowns were called back by penalties, Czernek hit Driskill for a 65-yard bomb for another touchdown. Czernek kicked the two-point conversion to make it 14-0.
In the third quarter, Michael Decker intercepted a Lassen pass on the Cowboy 30, and the offense converted that turnover into a score, moving 70 yards in just three plays.
Jacquez ran for 16 yards and caught a pass for another 12-yard gain. Driskill followed with a burst up the middle to run through three Grizzlies players for a 44-yard touchdown. Czernek’s two point kick made it 22-0.
Registration for the 2004 Hollister Pop Warner is coming up shortly. The board has instituted a new registration process, which will allow new families and players to register by mail early in 2004. Details will be posted at eteamz.com/hollisterpopwarner after Dec. 15.
