The Hollister Viking Pee Wees cruised to their sixth consecutive
victory on Saturday, defeating the Morgan Hill Raiders 28-0. The
Vikings scored four times using four different players supported by
a combination of accurate pass plays, big running plays and heads
up play on special teams.
The Hollister Viking Pee Wees cruised to their sixth consecutive victory on Saturday, defeating the Morgan Hill Raiders 28-0. The Vikings scored four times using four different players supported by a combination of accurate pass plays, big running plays and heads up play on special teams.
The Vikings’ smothering defense was as effective as ever, recording four quarterback sacks and run stopping tackles throughout the contest.
With just over two minutes off the game clock in the first quarter, Junior Davila recovered a Raiders fumble at their 35-yard line. Quarterback Tyler Decker went to the pass and hit Isaac Navarette in stride who then ran into end zone for six-points.
Tyler Pina kicked the two-point conversion giving the Vikings an 8-point lead. The Vikings defensive teams were primed from practice, executing the game plan as coached.
The defensive unit of Gregory Vasquez, Davila, Nathan Castro, Justin Raine, Adrian Soto, Stevan Rodriquez, Pina, ChaCha Huaracha and Jared Lantis held their ground against the Raiders, giving the Vikings’ offense several opportunities and control of the game as well. The defensive team play of Austin Blake, Darin Hopkins, Jonathan Roach, Jordan Swinscoe and Isaac Munoz held the Raider’s to just a few notable plays.
The football was well taken care of by the Viking offense as quarterbacks Decker and Vasquez executed play after play. However, the Raider’s defense came to play as they occasionally beat the Vikings’ offensive line blocking schemes resulting in run stopping tackles in the backfield, unusual pressure on the quarterbacks and recorded a rare interception following a 35 yard pass catch-and-run play by Mark Neal for the first down at the 45 yard line of the Raiders.
Forgetting quickly about the turnover, the Vikings offense responded by scoring on their next series, kicked off by another strong running effort from Nathan Castro who blew past defenders for a 31-yard gainer to the two-yard line of the Raiders. This set up a two-yard run by Neal for the score giving the Vikings a 14 -0 lead at the half.
In the second half, the Vikings’ defensive players stepped it up a notch as Ryan Disalvo recorded two solo quarterback sacks while Pina, Raine and Davila recorded two more. With the Vikings defense keeping the Raiders offense off the field, the Vikings moved up and down the playing field with time burning running plays by Davila, Jake Martin and Taylor Dukes.
In the 3rd quarter, the Viking special team play added to the score. Castro took a punt at the 45-yard line then with blockers out front cut and weaved his way to the end zone and six more points. Pina’s kick was good giving the Vikings a 22- 0 lead. In the 4th quarter and the game all but over, the Vikings switched to a ball control offense, running behind an offensive line including Angel Mendoza, Evan Roascio, Buzz Buzzetta and Sabastian Valencia. That strategy proved a bit too successful as Davila took a hand off 45 yards to the end zone for six points and the final score of the game.
Mighty Mites
Hollister Vikings 35
Morgan Hill Raiders 28
Hollister’s young squad proved its mettle in this one, roaring back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to claim victory at the game’s end.
The Raiders looked like they would run away with the game as their high-powered offense proved unstoppable for the Vikings early on. But Hollister’s coaches and fans watched in amazement and pride as their boys never quit despite being outplayed by Morgan Hill throughout the first half, and despite a hand injury to Tyler Fhurong.
Chris Cook stepped up first as he has much of the year, by returning the second half kickoff for a touchdown to spark his team. Hollister decided that the best way to keep the Raiders from scoring was not to give them the ball, so Viking kicker John Canes executed the first of three onside kicks, all of which would be successful. Those kicks turned the game in the Vikings favor. Cook, Canes, and Johnny Corral had one recovery each.
When the Vikings finally did take the lead late in the game, Hollister’s defense preserved it with surehanded tackles. Dominic Padilla, Enrique Rodriguez and Jeremy Cedeno led the charge that held the Raiders to just one score in the second half. Junior
Pee Wee
Morgan Hill Raiders 19
Hollister Vikings 0
Morgan Hill’s undefeated Raiders stayed that way on Saturday, but the Vikings could take some consolation in the fact that their strong defense held the Raiders to only about half of their usual offensive output.
Ray Rueda, Trevor Tresch, and Damien Botelho stopped many Raiders in their tracks, Junior Munguia made a great backfield tackle and Cody Cameron saved a touchdown in the third quarter with a great open-field tackle.
Chris Greenwood added another interception to his totals. Offensively, Mikey Koroluk had two long runs.
Junior Midget
Morgan Hill Raiders 28
Hollister Vikings 8
Morgan Hill’s offense proved too much for Hollister to handle. Morgan Hill scored twice early, but Matt Martinez prevented further damage by making a nice recovery of a Raider on-side kick.
Jordan Ashford stopped another drive with a tackle that prevented a first down. In the second quarter, punter Josh Villegas turned a botched punt play into an exciting 65 yard touchdown run, only to have the play negated by a Hollister penalty.
The Raiders scored again in the second quarter on 35 yard pass play to go up 22-0 at halftime. The Vikings scored late in the game when Villegas faked another punt and rumbled 30 yards into the end zone. Cooper Sepulveda’s two-point conversion made the final score 28-8.
Midget
Morgan Hill Raiders 20
Hollister Vikings 19
Hollister’s midgets suffered their second heartbreaking defeat in a week. The Raiders capitalized on an early Hollister fumble to go up 8-0. But the Vikings then tied the score with a sparkling offensive play one minute later.
Quarterback Felix Cortez threw a short pass to wide receiver Brandon Pina, who then shoveled the ball to Anthony Flores running hard around the left side. Flores ran through a few Raider defenders, and scampered 80 yards for a Vikings touchdown.
The 2-point conversion by Tito Lizarraga was perfect, and the game was tied, 8-8. The Vikings offense really heated-up in the second quarter, when a long pass from Felix Cortez to Joshua Martinez resulted in a 30-yard gain. That drive was stopped short of the end zone, but Hollister’s defense quickly forced a punt. Anthony Flores took the punt return 50 yards into the Raider end zone for a touchdown, and Lizarraga’s 2-point kick made the score 16-8 with one minute left in the first half.
The Vikings’ offense was not done, as Lizarraga added a 20-yard field goal, his first of their season, to make the score 19-8 at the half. However, the Raider defense stiffened in the second half, and gave their offense a chance to win the game. The Raiders forced two turnovers on downs, both of which were converted into touchdowns to provide Morgan Hill’s margin of victory.
The Vikings mounted a last ditch drive in the final two minutes, but the clock ran out on them at the Raider 35.
Hollister’s teams travel to Palo Alto on Sunday for their final road game of the season, however the Midgets will play at Saratoga and the Tiny Mites in Gilroy.
