With both teams looking for win No. 1 on the season, Anzar High,
the new kids on the 8-man football block, hosted four-time Coastal
Athletic League champion Anchorpoint Christian and a rivalry sprang
to life in San Juan Bautista on Friday night.
With both teams looking for win No. 1 on the season, Anzar High, the new kids on the 8-man football block, hosted four-time Coastal Athletic League champion Anchorpoint Christian and a rivalry sprang to life in San Juan Bautista on Friday night.
Daniel Modic barreled into the end zone in the second quarter for the Hawks’ (0-2 overall, 0-1 CAL) first touchdown in program history, sending a spirited home crowd into frenzy. But it was Kareem Lucas and the Warriors (1-2 overall, 1-0 CAL) who had the final say with a 38-28 victory, pushing their league unbeaten streak to 17 games.
“That’s one down,” said head coach KC Adams, whose Warriors suited up just nine players. “We are trying to win the league. That’s our goal. Let’s win something with the little that we got.”
The Warriors are 17-0-1 in the CAL since their inaugural 2007 season. The tie came in 2009 against Marina.
Lucas ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more, tallying 257 (199 on the ground) yards on offense. Despite being targeted by the Hawks defense, the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder had scoring runs of nine and 62 yards in the first quarter, the latter lifting Anchorpoint into the lead 14-0.
“We broke down so many films on Kareem Lucas,” Anzar head coach Luis Espinosa said. “Trying to stop him was our main goal. He’s a phenomenal kid.”
Anzar cut the deficit to eight points on its ensuing possession, traveling 53 yards on five plays, aided by a 37-yard completion from quarterback Jeremy Cedeno to Reno May, and capped by Modic’s plunge across the goal line.
“Just to get that ball, see it open up – it was a culmination of what we were working for the last few months,” Modic said. “I’m honored to have that chance.”
Each team had a drive stall on the others’ side of midfield as time ticked down toward halftime. Anchorpoint, though, had the ball with 32 seconds before the break and took advantage of a pass interference call, scoring two plays later when Lucas found Austin Keathley open on a corner route for a 2-yard touchdown and a 22-6 lead.
The Hawks needed just three plays into the third quarter to pull within one score as Cedeno (5-for-8, 60 yards) and May again hooked up for a big play, this time a 15-yard scoring strike.
“It was a lot better tonight being able to mix up the play calls,” Cedeno said. “We had them guessing what we were going to run and that gave us a little respect.”
The Warriors expanded the advantage back to two scores in four plays with Lucas, this time lined up at running back, scampering 29 yards to pay dirt to make it 30-14 after a converted 2-point play.
Jesse Jimenez, who carried the ball 17 times for 93 yards, shouldered the load on the Hawks’ next set of downs, rushing the ball three times – the third an 8-yard touchdown to bring Anzar back within one score.
On the Warriors’ next offensive play, however, Lucas hit Steven Hunter for a long-distance 52-yard touchdown at a 38-22 cushion.
“Once we get back into the film room we will work on what we need to,” Lucas said.
Cedeno scurried in on a 7-yard quarterback keeper with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, but by then the Warriors were out of reach.
“We have a bunch of new players so we are still trying to figure things out,” Hunter said. “We practiced defense all week because it isn’t our strong point yet. But this was a good game for us.”
The Warriors totaled 303 yards of offense while the Hawks gained 203. Damien Stowbueneko had and interception, and Miguel Madrigal and Joseph Banuelos had sacks for the Hawks.
“These guys have a big crowd, big entertainment, big excitement and I remember our first year like that. I’m absolutely proud of what coach is doing over there. He’s doing a great job,” Adams said of the Hawks. “They are good, they’re firm and they are consistent. And I love the fact they we have a rivalry with Anzar.”
