Three competitive Hollister teams beat Morgan Hill
By Tom Vivian
The Hollister Pop Warner season kicked off on Sunday with the jamboree at Andy Hardin Stadium, and the results gave Hollister fans a lot to look forward to for 2008 as all three of the competitive teams won their respective contests.
Pee Wees
Hollister Vikings 26
Morgan Hill Raiders 7
The Hollister Pee Wees looked to make a statement in their first home game of the season, and they did it on the ground and in the air against the visiting Morgan Hill Raiders on Sunday. Quarterback Tyler Fhurong threw four times on the opening drive, completing a long pass to Cody Freitas before hitting Chris Cook on a 26-yard scoring toss to put Hollister up 6-0 just over four minutes into the game.
In their first defensive series, the Vikings held Morgan Hill to -9 yards and forced the Raiders to punt. The Vikings gained three yards on the next two plays before Freitas burst through a hole for a first down on third-and-seven. On the next third down play, the Vikings used a bit of trickery by doing a direct snap to Cook, the running back, who scampered for the first down. Freitas followed with another first down carry to bring the ball to the 4-yard line, where running back Josh George then found paydirt to put Hollister up 12-0.
The Vikings’ defense remained stout on the next Morgan Hill possession, as Cook sacked the Raiders’ quarterback for a seven-yard loss on third down to force another punt. Moments later, Cook sprinted to a 35-yard touchdown run to put Hollister up 18-0 with seven minutes left in the first half.
Vikings special teams then came up big as Cook recovered the ensuing kickoff to give his team another scoring chance. Fhurong ran for a first down on third-and-five and later completed a 15-yard pass to Freitas to get Hollister near the red zone. On fourth-and-six from the 17-yard line, Fhurong found Brandon Olivares on a touchdown strike to put Hollister up 24-0. The two-point kick was good and the Vikings led 26-0 at halftime, having not surrendered a single first down to Morgan Hill.
In the second half, Andrew Breen quarterbacked the Vikings and Tyler Biersdorff and James Sanchez ran for tough yards as Hollister used a methodical game plan to secure the ball and the team’s lead.
Morgan Hill finally got its initial first down of the game with 4:30 left in the third quarter and worked the ball to the Hollister 8-yard line before a muffed snap ended the drive.
In the fourth quarter, after a Vikings punt, Russell Enz recovered a fumble to give the ball back to Hollister. On Morgan Hill’s next possession, Biersdorff continued the Vikings stellar defensive play as he intercepted the ball with about five minutes to play.
With just about one minute left in the game, the Raiders scored on a 3-yard rush and made the extra-point try to make the final score 26-7.
Junior Pee Wees
Hollister Vikings 6
Morgan Hill Raiders 0
The Junior Pee Wees won a battle of defenses in which neither team’s offense was able to score. The Hollister defense played ferociously all day long, allowing Morgan Hill only a handful of first downs. Thomas Ford, Matthew Rabago, Andrew Huaracha and Ezzie Lovato led the charge as the Vikings swarmed into Morgan Hill’s backfield, stuffing play after play. In the second quarter, Rabago recovered the first of four Morgan Hill fumbles, but Hollister was unable to capitalize. The Vikings offense showed some spark as R.J. Clark threw the ball to Austin Cascio on a halfback option play, but Morgan Hill’s defense was able to stop the threat. In the third quarter, the Vikings got a drive going on good runs by Justin Sanders, Andrew Sotelo and Clark, but once again the Raiders held.
However, the Hollister defense also remained rock-solid, as Huaracha and Aaron Tobia made several backfield tackles. Finally, the defense forced the break that won the game as Thomas Ford stole the ball right from a Raider ballcarrier’s arms and raced 40 yards for the game’s only touchdown. Morgan Hill’s efforts to get back in the game were futile as the Vikings forced yet two more turnovers in the last five minutes. Huaracha blindsided the Raider quarterback, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Ford, and on the Raiders last possession, Tobia recovered another fumble. The Vikings could not score again but played keep-away from the Raiders as quarterback Daniel Hopkins passed to Shraee Harrison for a first down.
Junior Midgets
Hollister Vikings 16
Morgan Hill Raiders 6
The Hollister Vikings started the season with a win over a strong Raider team. As with the Jr. Pee Wees, the game started as a defensive battle as both offenses struggled to find a rhythm. The Viking defense had some big hits in the backfield by outside linebacker Zack Hicks, and several open field tackles were made by free safety Austin Wahl and middle linebacker Damon Perez. Wahl also had an interception in the first half, and cornerback Angel Pasillas, who helped contain the perimeter runs, helped Hicks in the first half’s most exciting play when they combined to chase down a Raider receiver in a 67-yard pass play before he could cross the goal line. The Viking defense held the Raiders on the 10-yard line for the final two plays of the half to keep the score deadlocked at 0-0.
Morgan Hill took the ball to start the second half, but fumbled a snap, which was recovered by Damien Botelho. The Viking offense began their first scoring drive when halfback Cody Cameron ripped off a 7-yard run. On second down, the quarterback Wahl found Hicks in the right flat for a 17-yard gain, taking the ball to the 5-yard line. On the next play, Cameron scored on a 5-yard run around the left side. Kicker Angel Pasillas booted in the two-point kick to give Hollister an 8-0 lead. The Raiders struck back after recovering a Viking fumble in Hollister territory near the end of the third quarter. The Raiders scored on the first play of the fourth quarter but missed the extra point, which left them trailing Hollister, 8-6. The Raiders tried to put together a game-winning drive, but were stymied by the hard-hitting Viking defense, led by Perez, Hicks, and defensive lineman Tyler Tobia. After both teams exchanged punts, the Viking offense once again found its rhythm, beginning with another Wahl-to-Hicks pass completion for a first down. Hicks then followed with a 35-yard run off left tackle, giving the Vikings a first-and-goal on the 5-yard line. With 3:36 left in the game, fullback Botelho cut through the Raider defense for another Viking touchdown. This time, kicker John Canes did the honors, splitting the uprights to take the Vikings to a 16-6 lead. Morgan Hill made one last valiant attempt to score by throwing the ball downfield, but sacks by Hicks and Perez prevented a comeback.
Mitey Mites (Gold)
Morgan Hill Raiders 18
Hollister Vikings 0
Morgan Hill got its only victory of the day in the Mitey Mite division, where a ferocious Raider defense shut down the Hollister Vikings. Led by Mathew Griffith, Zackery Serrano, Dylan Oliveras, Travis Roy and Mathew Trimble, the Vikings defense matched the Raiders intensity in the first half, shutting down their opponents. Antonio Caro and Jacob Ryder had touchdown-saving tackles on sweep plays by Morgan Hill running backs. The Raiders drove to the Hollister 5-yard line only to be turned away on four downs. The Vikings offense never got on track with the exception of two long gains by Tanner Wiggins on quarterback bootlegs. The Raiders scored six points on an off-tackle run at the end of the second quarter to take the lead. The game was decided in the second half on two Morgan Hill punt return touchdowns as they pulled away to an 18 -0 victory.
Mitey Mites (Purple)
Hollister Vikings 30
Salinas Cardinals 12
Hollister’s other Mighty Mite opponent was from Salinas, and the Purple Vikings proved that they were well prepared for the season by scoring early and often on their guests while shutting down their opponents offensively.
Hunter Nye galloped 58 yards to paydirt on the first play from scrimmage to start the Vikings season off with a bang. When the Cardinals got the ball, Tristan Wahl made two big tackles to force fourth down. But instead of punting, Salinas shocked the Vikings by throwing a long pass, which was complete for a 72-yard touchdown, tying the game. Hollister retook the lead as the Vikings drove the length of the field on the strength of good runs by Hunter Nye and Christian Leyba, who plunged over from the two to make the score 12-6. Hollister’s defense took control of the game as Nick Perez and Nathan Fhurong made backfield tackles to force the Cardinals three-and-out.
Hollister couldn’t capitalize on its next possession, but the Vikings thwarted Salinas again as Wahl made two more backfield tackles. This time the Cardinals punted, and quickly wished that they hadn’t as Andres Soto returned the kick 22 yards to the Salinas 43. After a couple good runs by Soto, Fhurong scampered 22 yards to the end zone to put the Vikings up 18-6. Fhurong also recovered the ensuing kickoff for Hollister, and moments later, scored again on a 37-yard run to make the score 24-6 at halftime.
Defensive heroics by Niko Lopez, Mark Rodriguez and John Martinez kept Salinas at bay for the second half, and Nye plucked a Cardinals pass out of the air, returning it 25 yards for the game’s final touchdown.
The Tiny Mites also took on Morgan Hill. Matthew Hernandez had a 60-yard run on Hollister’s first play from scrimmage, and Ernesto Sanchez followed up with another long run the next time the Vikings had the ball. Jonathan Ramos, Javier Valdez and Sanchez made many big plays for Hollister defensively.
Most of the Hollister teams will play West Valley at Saratoga High School on Sunday, Sept 7. Games begin at 8 a.m.
