Junior Pee Wees and Junior Midgets earn top seeds in playoffs,
play Saturday in Santa Cruz
BY Justin Vivian & Dena Gregory SpEcial to the Free Lance
Two Hollister teams closed out undefeated regular seasons on Sunday at Andrew Hill and will move on to the playoffs, while two other Viking teams were defeated in their season finale. The Pee Wees and Midgets played their final games as neither was able to earn a postseason berth.
With big wins over the Raiders, Hollister’s Junior Pee Wees and Junior Midgets earned No. 1 seeds in the postseason and open the playoffs in Santa Cruz on Saturday. Wins against the Pacifica Tigersharks would earn the Vikings home-field advantage for the next round as Hollister is set to host second-round games on Nov. 4.
Junior Pee Wee: Vikings 27, Raiders 0
With a convincing 27-0 victory, the Vikings (8-0) put the finishing touches on their undefeated regular season. Hollister took an early lead when Mikey Koroluk blew past the Raiders in returning the opening kickoff to score the first touchdown of the game. A one-point conversion by Alex Huaracha immediately followed.
The Viking offense was dominant throughout the game with solid running by Dylan Yamasaki, Aaron Martinez and Austin Tobia. Hollister extended its lead with touchdowns by Koroluk, Chris Cook and another conversion run by Tyler Fhurong prior to halftime.
The Raider defense was no match for the Vikings as Matthew Balderas scored the final touchdown of the game, with Cody Cameron running in the extra point.
Hollister’s defense continued to be dominant as it shut out its opponent for the sixth time in eight games. Cameron, Cody Freitas, Johnny Corral, Josh George and Junior Munguia spearheaded their team’s defensive effort against Andrew Hill.
The Junior Pee Wees will take on the Pacifica Tigersharks in a first-round playoff game Saturday at Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz. Kickoff is set for 1pm.
Junior Midget: Vikings 33, Raiders 13
A powerful and united Viking Junior Midget team overwhelmed the Raiders 33-13 in a lopsided contest.
With Hollister’s defense still in a groove, the Viking offense put up 21 points by the end of the first half. Hollister (8-0) then tacked on 12 more points as a cushion in the second half.
Running back and safety Mikey Soto made his presence felt by scoring twice while also providing smart defensive plays to help stop the Raiders’ running game.
The contributions to the final win of the regular season came from several players as Justin Rendon and Nathan Castro each took handoffs in for scores.
All but five of the Junior Midget players moved up from last year’s Pee Wee team that finished second in the nation. Their quest for a repeat trip to Florida begins on Saturday at 5pm as they face the Pacifica Tigersharks in a first-round playoff game at Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz.
Pee Wees: Raiders 7, Vikings 0
The Hollister Vikings (3-5) fell in a well-played game against the Andrew Hill Raiders.
The Vikings moved the ball well during the first half with carries by Zack Hicks, as well as several pass completions from Austin Wahl to Nathan Garza, Dan Buzzetta and Zack Nelson. The Raider defense, however, held strong and the Vikings were unable to score.
The defenses were crucial to this match up. Hollister matched the Raiders’ efforts on defense with big plays by Garrett Avina, Austin Nye and Hicks. Conner Bernal also had a strong showing, with an interception and a pass defensed. John Hartshorn, Jaret Barrios and Rolie Ortiz helped in slowing down the Raider offense with timely tackles, and the first half ended in a scoreless tie.
Late in the third quarter, the Raiders finally got on the board. Although Hollister’s offense made a valiant attempt to tie the game after a fumble recovery by Mark Ponte late in the fourth quarter, the Vikings were not able to generate the gains needed to put them into scoring range.
Mighty Mites: Vikings 24, Raiders 12
The Hollister Mighty Mites ended their regular season on a high note as they defeated the Andrew Hill Raiders 24-12.
The Vikings started out strong in the first quarter with carries by Nathan Fhurong, Nick Trimble and Daniel Hopkins. After a 20-yard run by Austin Cascio, the Vikings jumped ahead as Bryan Noble carried the ball in for the first touchdown of the game.
The Raiders came back to tie the game in the second quarter, but the momentum was on the Vikings’ side. Justin Sanders ran for 45 yards and scored the first of his two touchdowns on the game.
While the Raiders scored in the second quarter, they never saw the end zone again as the Viking defense held strong. With a great interception by Fhurong and solid tackles made by Matthew Melville, Manuel Zuniga, Ethan Enz and Andrew Lopez, Andrew Hill was no match for Hollister.
The Vikings scored once more in the fourth quarter when Bryan Noble carried the ball in for the final touchdown. It was a convincing win for the Vikings as they look towards the Mighty Mite Bowl on Saturday. Their game against the Brentwood-Oakley Falcons begins at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister at 4pm.
The Tiny Mites finished out a successful season as Andres Soto burned the Raiders with a long run to the end zone. BJ Quintana, Jay Martinez and Shane Ledesma spearheaded Hollister’s defensive effort.
