Velez gains 210 yards, helps SV blast Soquel
San Lorenzo Valley, Pajaro Valley earn wins in their season openers
Neither a wet, mushy field, nor Soquel High’s defense was able to slow Scotts Valley running back Isaiah Velez on Saturday.
Velez scored on two long runs in the second half, and the Falcons football team knocked off Soquel 35-12 in the second week of Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League action during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The junior finished with 16 carries for 210 yards, scoring on runs of 67 and 69 yards in the fourth quarter.
“It felt pretty fun” Velez said. “Most of the time, it was the linemen blocking. because every time I’d cut back, they’d still be blocking their man.”
Scotts Valley (2-0) looks to match last season’s win total next week, when it hosts rival San Lorenzo Valley (1-0).
It was the season opener for the Knights (0-1), who last week had their game postponed due to county-wide COVID-19 testing issues. They’re hoping for marked improvement before taking on powerful Aptos (1-0) next week.
The Falcons looked like a completely different team than it did last week, when it knocked off St. Francis 12-0. Unable to produce in the red zone or bust a big gain in their power run game against the Sharks, the Falcons moved the ball with success against the Knights.
Scotts Valley finished with
338 yards rushing on 37 attempts and passed for 29 yards on eight attempts. Running back Shane Williams produced Scotts Valley’s first two touchdown runs in the second quarter and finished with 50 yards on eight carries. Teammate Brock Siechen, again a standout on punt return, ran for 69 yards on nine carries, and Jaden Meulman scored on a 3-yard run.
The Falcons’ offensive explosion was more impressive considering they did touch the football on offense until 3:46 remained in the first quarter.
The biggest test for the Falcons on Saturday was containing quarterback Tanner Jones and receiver Darius Bedford, both returning seniors. Both stars were held in check for much of the game, but Jones busted loose for a 72-yard scoring run for his team’s first score in the fourth, narrowing his team’s deficit to 28-6.
Jones also connected with receiver Nick Klaric for a 13-yard touchdown completion.
“Our d-line did amazing,” said Nolan Smith, a linebacker for the Falcons. “Going in this week against a team like Soquel, they were talking trash when they came up at our o-line about our line. So I’m just so proud our d-linemen played well, went down those gaps and made it easy for us linebackers.”
Jones was sacked twice -- Andre Nice and Austyn Crospell each had one -- and threw one interception, picked off by Smith with :18.9 remaining.
The Knights were held to 105 yards rushing. Jones was 20-for-39 passing for 203 yards.
The Knights looked much more comfortable in the second half than it did the first. For that reason, Jones is excited to get back out to practice to clean up some errors.
“That’ll help a lot,” he said. “I think we’ll come back and practice ready, focused and ready to get back at it.”
AT SLV 16, ST. FRANCIS 10, OT FELTON >>
Senior running back Justin Sizemore had four carries for 25 yards in overtime, scoring on a twoyard run, and the Cougars (1-0) held on to beat the Sharks (0-2) in their SCCAL opener.
“He was kinda the hero of the day,” Cougars coach Dave Poetzinger said. “He came up big in overtime.”
Michael Lang and Dylan Arroyo made big stops on defense for SLV in OT, forcing the Sharks into fourthand-20 from the 35-yard line. St. Francis’ Hail Mary pass to the goal line was tipped around three times before it was batted to the ground.
SLV’s Andrew Gudnason kicked the game-tying 35yard field goal into the wind with four seconds left to force overtime. Seconds earlier, an SLV penalty moved the ball back five yards.
“I got nervous,” Poetzinger said. “Five more yards to kick a field goal in a high school game, that’s a lot. But Andrew was unflappable. He just picked up the tee, moved it five yards back and sent it straight through uprights.”
Dezmond Litel scored on a 79-yard punt return for the Sharks and teammate Garrett Lee added a field goal with 9:05 left to put their team up 10-7.
AT PAJARO VALLEY 47, HARBOR 14 WATSONVILLE >>
Martin Gonzalez ran for three scores and 163 yards in the first half as the Grizzlies (1-0) jumped out to a 34-8 lead on the Pirates (01) and rolled in their SCCAL opener in their new stadium.
Gonzalez finished with 175 yards on 12 carries as the Grizzlies totaled 456 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground on 58 carries.
It was the Grizzlies’ first home game in school history.
“It was an awesome experience,” interim Grizzlies coach Joe Manfre said. “Our kids were excited to be out on that new field and play in front of some people.”
Senior Angel Ismerio ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior Isaac Ortiz and sophomore Juan Macias also scored for the Grizzlies (1-0).
“We ran the ball very efficiently today,” Manfre said. “We pounded the rock and our o-line played very well.”
Junior linebacker Manny Rodriguez had an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery for P.V.
Said Pirates coach James Gaynor: “We’re all obviously disappointed because we know we can play better. We have a standard for what Pirate football means and should look like. We did some good things on offense, defense and special teams today and with us missing a few players last minute, I’m really proud of the way are guys competed until the end with a limited rotation.
“We have to limit penalties and turnovers on offense and be more consistent on all three phases in order for us to take that next step we’re all working toward.”