APTOS—Cabrillo snapped a five-game losing streak by speeding past the Gavilan Rams, 61-35, in Golden Coast League play at Carl Conelly Stadium Saturday.
The Seahawks pounced on two early Ram miscues to fashion a 14-0 lead, then turned a pair of interceptions into touchdowns in a 20-point display in the second quarter.
“Back to the drawing board,” announced Gavilan coach Spencer Gilford after the Rams fell for the fourth consecutive game after two high-scoring wins to start the season. “We weren’t as prepared as we thought we would be. We need to figure out a way to get them ready.”
Both teams showed strong offenses, with Cabrillo posting a 495-407 edge in total offense, 28-24 in first downs.
“Gavilan’s very athletic,” Cabrillo coach Bill Garrison said. “They have some exceptional players. I don’t know if you can stop them. You can only hope to contain them.”
Cabrillo took advantage of Gavilan errors for two touchdowns with 4:26 gone in the game.
“We had some breaks early,” agreed Garrison. “We were able to take advantage of their mistakes.”
The Ram defense forced Cabrillo to punt after three plays, but a fumble on the punt return set up the Seahawks at Gavilan’s 19. Quarterback Brenden Davis (20 of 36 for 317 yards and three TDs) found tight end Lucas Sinnott open on the next play. Aiden Daily’s point after left Cabrillo up 7-0 at the 10:39 mark.
Gavilan lost a 10-yard pass play on the ensuing play from scrimmage because of a cut block. Back to the Ram 13, a lateral pass was fumbled and Seahawk Kyle Dunn fell on the ball in the endzone at 10:24 for the 14-0 Cabrillo cushion.
“Penalties at key moments stopped us,” said Gavilan co-captain Tyler DeCarlo.
The Rams were able to respond with two touchdowns within four minutes.
Deniko Carter ignited the comeback with an 85-yard kick-off return to make it 14-7. Carter bulled through two tacklers at the right side of the return, then cut back and raced down the left sideline for the first of his four touchdowns.
After a Cabrillo punt, the Rams went 67 yards on five plays for the equalizer. Wide-out Armani Miller, held without a catch, suffered a lower body injury on the second play. Carter pulled down a 34-yard touchdown pass from Drew Fryhoff at 6:35.
Cabrillo’s offense improved in the second quarter, taking advantage of two interceptions for good field position.
Daily snapped the tie with a 26-yard field goal two plays into the second quarter. Cabrillo’s Brian Johnson picked off a Fryhoff pass at the Ram 28. Steven Ross scored on the next play on a draw play at 13:54 for the 24-14 Cabrillo lead.
Johnson added a second interception four plays later to give the hosts possession at the Seahawk 43. Ross scored on a 46-yard screen pass from Davis at 11:02 for a 31-14 cushion.
“Our screen game was very productive,” Garrison said. The Seahawks covered 107 yards with two touchdowns with four screen passes.
Gavilan, with both Miller and Carter on the sideline in the second quarter, mustered a touchdown after defensive back Pat McQueen recovered a Cabrillo fumble on the Ram 16. Fryhoff led the 13-play march by converting four third down plays, including a touch pass to Jesse Barker for the 14-yard paydirt play.
Daily recorded a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
Cabrillo broke the game open with a 13-yard screen pass from Davis to Najii Wilcox with 5:00 minutes to play in the third quarter.
Carter, back on the field for the next series, completed the Ram scoring with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Cabrillo began the final quarter with a 10-play drive over 78 yards that Wilcox capped with a one-yard plunge for a 48-21 lead.
Fryhoff was injured on the next scrimmage play and was replaced by Sterling Montgomery. Four consecutive pass completions followed, including a bubble screen that Carter turned into a 56-yard TD highlight romp through the Cabrillo defense.
After Davis rolled out for two yards to a touchdown with 4:04 left, Montgomery directed the Rams to a 50-yard drive to a final score. Carter set up the march with a kick-off return to midfield. A 30-yard toss from Montgomery to Jose Manzo put Gavilan in Cabrillo territory. Montgomery lined a pass into the left corner of the endzone that Carter pulled in for the seven-yard scoring play.
The Hawks countered with a Demetrius Campos 11-yard run with 51 seconds left.
“Montgomery did a good job coming in for us,” said Gilford. “Carter has played well each game. He continues to improve.”
Anthony Brooks led the Ram rushers with 52 yards. Carter had seven grabs for 139 yards. Montgomery was 7 for 8 for 117 yards.
Gavilan (2-4 overall, 0-3 in league) plays the Merced Blue Devils at 5 p.m. Oct. 25 at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
