YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAMS FALL IN CHAMPIONSHIPS
A great first half went into another direction in the second half for the Lodi Titans rookies youth football team on Saturday.
Taking on the Antioch Spartans in the Nor Cal Youth Football Conference’s Super Bowl at West High of Tracy, the Titans saw a close game at halftime turned into 32-0 loss at West High of Tracy. Lodi finished its season with a 9-2 record that included winning two playoff games and 7-1 during the regular season.
With the game tied at 0-0 In the second quarter, it looked like the Spartans would score the first touchdown of the game. They drove 70 yards to the Spartans’ 1-yard line. But Antioch’s defense stopped Lodi on fourth down.
Antioch, now on offense thanks to the turnover, scored its first touchdown. To make the game exciting, the Spartans opted for the onside kick, recovered the ball and returned it for its second touchdown and a 14-0 halftime lead.
“They took the wind out of our sails,” said Lodi coach Izzy Sandoval on the Spartans’ successful onside kick. “It was a good, aggressive play.”
The play was also the first time that Lodi had been scored on a kickoff return during the season.
Antioch continued its scoring spree in the third quarter, which led to the win.
“They were taking the game away from us,” said Sandoval of the Spartans.
Halfway through the quarter, Sandoval and his assistant coaches started substituting freely.
Over in Oakland the same day, the Lodi Junior Flames’ 14U team fell in the Snoop Youth Football League NorCal Championship to the DC Stars. The game was a battle of undefeated teams, with both carrying 9-0 records into the contest. The Stars will represent NorCal in the state championship game this weekend.