Gavilan dropped to 0-2 in non-conference play after suffering a 48-17 loss to the visiting Shasta College Knights Saturday afternoon.
“We didn’t come out ready to play,” said Gavilan third-year head coach Spencer Gilford.
While not blaming the 1 p.m. start on the sluggish showing, Gilford noted that, “we need to do a better job of coaching during the week. We hurt ourselves with penalties (nine of the 11 flags were pre-snap infractions). We did do a better job of not turning the ball over. We kept playing (two TDs in the second half).”
Shasta’s sophomore quarterback Austin Schmeltzer enjoyed his second three-touchdown performance in as many games against the Rams, covering 315 yards on a 14-for-19 effort through the air at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
In last year’s showdown in Redding, Schmeltzer riddled the Gavilan secondary for three touchdowns in a 43-19 victory.
“Gavilan’s very aggressive on defense, so we tried to take advantage of that,” said Shasta coach Craig Thompson.
Schmeltzer turned play-action plays into touchdown flips of 64 and 80 yards on first plays of series. That marked the beginning of 27 unanswered points before a Gavilan field goal broke up the first half shutout.
“We have a very good group of receivers,” said Thompson. “Our offense played outstanding today.”
The Knights produced 621 yards in total offense. Scatback Marzett David, a 5-foot-3, 165-pounder, ran for 109 yards in nine carries, including a 66-yard burst to complete his afternoon.
Brandon Pickens, a freshman out of Christopher High, earned the start at quarterback in place of injured sophomore Nate Ellis. Pickens finished with 12-for-28 through the air for 99 yards and one interception.
Gavilan recovered three Shasta fumbles.
Jakari Johnson rushed for 89 yards in 16 carries for the Rams. Donovan Weatherspoon ripped off a 69-yard rush on the way for 82 yards on eight assignments.
The Knights scored on their first offensive series, covering 53 yards on seven plays, including two Rams penalties. Terrill Howard bulled over for the last three yards with 6:03 left in the first quarter for the 7-0 Shasta edge.
After the Knights went 87 yards in 10 plays for a 14-0 lead with 3.9 seconds left in the first quarter, Shasta took a Ram punt and made it 21-0 as Schmeltzer found Nate Stephens behind the Rams secondary for a 64-yard TD play.
Shasta made it 27-0 with 8:52 left in the first half before the Rams could dent the scoreboard. Seth Holcomb made a 25-yard field goal with 5:29 to go in the half.
Shasta converted its first two series of the second half, including a one-play, 80-yard pitch and catch from Schmeltzer to an open Richard Seraphin, for a 41-3 lead in the third quarter.
The Rams responded to the lone Shasta punt of the game by going 63 yards in nine plays to paydirt. Dexter Braziel nudged over for the final yard with 14:56 left in the game, cutting the deficit to 41-10.
The Rams’ second touchdown came after Weatherspoon went 69 yards to set up a Johnson four-yard slice through the left side to put the score at 41-17.
Shasta ended the game’s scoring on a 43-yard pass from reserve quarterback Dylan Desmarais to Cooper Janusevskis for the 48-17 final margin.
