SCV prepared for Week 1 Prep football: Cents look to use balanced attack against Agoura
Opening the season with a 63-point shutout of Taft last Friday, the Saugus Centurions football team looked like a well oiled machine dominating from the first whistle.
The Centurions will put their medal to the test as they host Agoura High School at 7:30 p.m. today at College of the Canyons.
Managing to pass the ball six times in the entire game behind senior quarterback Cole Gallagher, the Centurions (1-0) were still able to score two touchdowns through the air as Gallagher was able to connect with Matthew Ballentine and Julian Bornn in the end zone.
Gallagher finished the game 3-for6 for 65 yards and two touchdowns.
Running the ball 32 times (the Centurions ran 38 offensive plays in the entire game), and utilizing seven different ball carriers, junior Cameron Warr and senior Reid Huseman split the majority of the carries combining for 170 yards on 21 carries.
Huseman along with Bornn, Joshua Bond and Brayden Giraldo all ended the game with a rushing touchdown.
Facing off against Agoura High School (1-0), who most recently defeated Channel Islands 30-25, the Cents will potentially look to keep the running game going as the Chargers defense allowed 237 total rushing yards in their opening week win, opposed to 76 yards through the air.
“We aim to be as balanced as possible but at the same time we don’t let the opponent dictate our game plan. We let the game situations dictate our gameplans. That’s what we do,” Bornn said.
Relying on the air game, the Chargers quarterback Trent Butler managed to throw for 217 yards and two
touchdowns on 17-of-29 pass attempts. He also ran for an additional 32 yards.
Wide receivers Nico Della Ripa and Riley Staley combined to catch 12 of the 17 completions for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
Della Ripa, who lines up at strong safety on defense, led Agoura with 10 tackles (nine solo). He teams up with senior cornerback Jackson Messick, who finished the game with four tackles (all solo) and an interception, to form half of a formidable secondary.
“This week is no different than any other week. We are going to focus on the controlables,” Bornn said. “Blocking, tackling and executing that’s what we always focus on. Whatever they give us, we will try to exploit them.”