SACRAMENTO
–– The Capital Shrine Bowl played Saturday afternoon at Hughes
Stadium provided little in terms of surprise as the unbeaten Sierra
College Wolverines eased past the Gavilan Rams 54-13.
The Wolverines owned a 65-0 nod over the Rams on Sept. 20.
Saturday’s replay found the Rams down 41-0 with less than 21
minutes gone in the bowl game.
By Bob Burch
SACRAMENTO –– The Capital Shrine Bowl played Saturday afternoon at Hughes Stadium provided little in terms of surprise as the unbeaten Sierra College Wolverines eased past the Gavilan Rams 54-13.
The Wolverines owned a 65-0 nod over the Rams on Sept. 20. Saturday’s replay found the Rams down 41-0 with less than 21 minutes gone in the bowl game.
Gavilan, the Coast Conference co-champion along with DeAnza, finished the season at 5-6.
“They were the better football team,” said Gavilan coach John Lango of the Bay Valley Conference kingpin.
“I was pleased that we played hard the whole game. The whole trip was a great experience for the team. We traveled to Sacramento Friday, were given a tour of the Shriner’s Hospital Saturday morning. That gave the players a chance to see what we’re playing the bowl game for.”
Sierra called on offensive leaders J.P. Greco and Kevin Haley to complete the 11-0 season.
Greco, a sophomore quarterback, threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. Haley, a freshman running back, covered 113 yards and found the end zone four times, including one TD reception.
Gavilan was forced to call on second-string running backs against Sierra after conference offensive MVP El Ray Henry was ruled ineligible because of academic reasons last week.
The Rams spent the bulk of the time on offense passing after falling behind 21-0 after one quarter. Gavilan received 27 yards on 14 carries from Adrian Garcia, 16 yards on six scrambles by reserve quarterback Brandon Zertuche.
Lango started Patrick Ames at quarterback, but Zertuche was sent into action one series into the second quarter after Ames went 0-for-11 with one interception.
“We were not moving the ball in the first quarter, so I made the change,” Lango said. “We went with the hot hand the rest of the way.”
Zertuche, a freshman out of Lincoln High, collected 245 yards on a 17-for-36 afternoon.
Ted Mason accomplished enough to be given the Offensive Player of the Game award at the post-game gathering. The sophomore wide-out covered 195 yards with 10 receptions and two touchdowns.
Sierra, 32-11 since coach Jeff Tisdel began his stint at the Rocklin school, scored the first of eight touchdowns on a 13-yard Haley explosion with 12:23 left in the first quarter. Gavilan had taken the ball on the opening series, lost ground to the Ram nine and punted to the Gavilan 32.
Haley pounded across the goalline from four yards out at the 4:20 mark to complete a 12-play, 54-yard drive for a 14-0 cushion. A misplayed Gavilan snap on a punt gave Sierra control at the Ram 27. Two plays later, Greco threw 26 yards to ex-Colfax High teammate Robby Lewis for the third touchdown of the quarter.
Haley caught a 21-yard scoring pass from Greco one minute into the second quarter, then plunged over from one yard for a 35-0 lead at 11:50. Greco scored on an eight-run scamper with 9″11 left in the half, although the PAT kick was blocked.
Gavilan fashioned an 11-play drive over 70 yards to a touchdown in the second quarter. Zertuche flipped a two-yard scoring strike to Mason with 3:29 left in the half. Sierra responded with an 80-yard drive that culminated in an 18-yard run by Randy Bacon with 1:54 to play.
Both teams added one touchdown in the third quarter. Greco and Lewis teamed for a 14-yard TD with 11:33 to play. Gavilan’s J.R. Richmond intercepted a Sierra pass at the Wolverine 43.
Zertuche keyed the TD drive with a 22-yard run, then found Mason in the end zone with an 11-yard aerial. Gustavo Valdovinos added the PAT kick with 3:48 left in the quarter.
Lango lauded the consistent play of nose guard Josh Visperas. “Josh played extremely well the whole game.”
