The Salinas High Cowboys came up about two-yards short on a
two-point conversion attempt with 1:25 to play to surrender a
mistake-filled one-point loss.
Atascadero 7, Salinas 6
SALINAS – The Salinas High Cowboys came up about two-yards short on a two-point conversion attempt with 1:25 to play to surrender a mistake-filled one-point loss.
Salinas dominated this game in almost every category except for the final score. It had 18 first downs to just six for Atascadero and the Cowboys had a 273-111 statistical edge over the Greyhounds. They ran 60 plays to just 35 for Atascadero.
Salinas had eight possessions. One drive ended with a touchdown, two with punts, and four died on downs inside the Atascadero 20, two inside the 5.
Late in the first half, Atascadero’s Kyle James threw an incomplete pass, that would have resulted in a fourth down and a punt, but Salinas was flagged for pass interference and the drive continued. James crashed in from one yard out for the touchdown.
Salinas twice got close enough to attempt field goals, one from 20 and another from 25. Neither one was successful. But the most frustrating drive came late in the third period when running back Isaiah Nau was stacked up at fourth-and-goal at the 1.
Salinas finally did score on a clutch fourth-down, 15-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Laughton to Xavier Ceballos. The Cowboys went for two-points and the win, but Manny Martinez was stopped two yards short on an open-field tackle by Atascadero’s Neil Tidwell.
Oak Grove 35, Live Oak 12
MORGAN HILL – Acorn quarterback Steve Conner led the way offensively for the Acorns with 93 yards on 17 carries. He also scored the Acorns second touchdown from seven yards out.
Live Oak marched down the field in the opening drive of the game and got on the board first with Brian Crane’s one-yard run.
But the Eagles answered right back with a 76-yard touchdown reception and then later scored on a 77-yard punt return.
Live Oak was down 14-12 at the half, but Oak Grove scored two touchdowns in the second to secure the win.
Valley Christian 35, North Salinas 14
SALINAS – It took a dominating second-half performance by the Valley Christian football team Friday to beat upset-minded North Salinas 35-14 at the Salinas Sports Complex
The Vikings gave a spirited effort against Valley Christian, the defending Central Coast Section Division I champion and the current No. 1-ranked in the CCS.
North Salinas, helped by a pair of field goals from Alex Vaca and a dazzling 79-yard touchdown run by Ronnie Drummer, held a 14-7 lead at halftime.
But the second half was all Valley Christian.
The Warriors (2-0) scored on their first four possessions of the second half while holding North Salinas to one first down and 17 yards.
Drummer finished with 112 yards on 17 carries — the ninth time in the last 10 games dating back to last year he has topped the 100-yard mark.
North Salinas, 1-1, visits North County next Saturday.
North County 40, King City 7
KING CITY – Armando Rodriguez rushed for 226 yards and Nick Liedel tossed three touchdown passes to lead the Condors over the Mustangs in a non-league game.
North County went to 2-0. King City is 0-2.
North County his home to North Salinas next Saturday while King City entertains Yerba Buena on Friday.
Seaside 55, Roosevelt 13
FRESNO – Six different players scored touchdowns for the Spartans, who improved to 2-0 in non-league.
Seaside scored four touchdowns by passing – one each to Laurance Walker, Curtis Harrison, Henry Utumapu and Augie Lewis.
John Rivera and Keawe Block ran for touchdown for Seaside, which is home to Live Oak on Friday.
Keith Garner and Gabe Cruz each tossed a pair of touchdown passes for Seaside, which is home to Live Oak next Friday.
Pacific Grove 49 Harbor 13
PACIFIC GROVE – Josh Granstrom ran for four touchdowns to lead the Breakers to the win over the Pirates.
Granstrom ran 52 yards for on his second score – his longest touchdown run of the game.
Pacific Grove (1-1) led 28-0 at halftime.
Granstrom scored three of the Breakers first-half touchdowns. The first one came almost as soon as Harbor fumbled the opening kickoff and Pacific Grove took over on the Pirate nine. Granstrom ran in from the one. Dave Anderson threw a 20-yard pass to Nick Silveira for the Breakers second touchdown of the first quarter.
Granstrom scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter to give the Breakers an insurmountable lead. Granstrom, a senior, led Pacific Grove in rushing with 133 yards.
The Gilroy Dispatch and the Salinas Californian have worked out an agreement to run high school football summaries from around the area in each publication.
