Orland runs over Pierce in season opener
Schermer scores twice for host Trojans
ORLAND >> In the first game at home since April 16 and despite playing without nine players, the Orland High football team stuck by its run game to overtake Pierce in the season opener.
The Trojans were down nine players due to either a positive COVID-19 test or COVID-19 exposure, yet they were able to win 27-13 Friday night at Trojan Stadium.
The Orland Fire Department raised an American flag with its ladder over the field while fans packed the stands and cheerleaders along with the marching band played loud in support of the Trojans (1-0).
The last game Orland played was April 23 in Corning in a game shortened due to a power
outage. Orland head coach Nick Velazquez said prior to Friday’s game his team is ready to take on what they hope is a full 10-game season.
“It’s incredible. It’s kind of hard to describe. With all the cancellations going on I told our guys, ‘You should be feeling pretty damn grateful because you never know when it’s going to be taken from you,’” Velazquez said. “I told them there’s so much stuff going on outside of football you guys have to stay positive and stick together. We never know when we’re going to play or not play
so take advantage. These guys are pumped.”
Velazquez said this year’s offense will still be runheavy, however, he said quarterback Grant Foster has a strong arm and the passing game would factor in more than in previous years.
Orland’s first quarter consisted of two passes by Foster. The first was a 28-yard pass that set up a 4-yard touchdown run by senior Brayden Schumann to give Orland a 6-0 lead. On the second pass, Foster scrambled in the red zone and threw on the run, but the pass was tipped and intercepted by Pierce’s Kaden Davis and returned to midfield.
“It’s funny because we talk about that play all the time. If no one’s open tuck it and run it,” Velazquez said. “Then he throws it and we’re all going ‘Why?!’ Huge momentum play.”
Halfway through the second quarter, Pierce responded with a 17-yard rushing touchdown. A successful PAT gave the Bears a 7-6 lead.
However, as halftime approached, Thomas Schermer helped Orland retake the lead with a 7-yard touchdown run, the first of two for the senior and brother of former Trojan Jacob Shermer, who played on the 2019 football team and graduated in 2020.
On the next possession for Pierce, Thomas Shermer intercepted the ball and returned it to the Bears’ 33-yard line. A 28yard pass by Foster set up Orland in field goal range. With three seconds to go until halftime kicker Hector Castillo booted a field goal to increase Orland’s lead to 15-6 at halftime.
Velazquez said Friday’s game was filled with big momentum plays. Velazquez said ahead of the score and interception by Thomas Shermer the coaches on the sideline said to each other their team needed one more big play to seal it.
“It changed the whole game for us,” Jacob Schermer said. “We were slowing down, I got the pick and it started driving stuff for us.”
Pierce scored first in the second half on a rushing touchdown from five yards away, however, the remainder of the second half was all Orland relying on its rushing attack.
With 1 minute, 55 seconds left in the third quarter Thomas Schermer scored for a second time to increase the Trojans’ lead to 21-6. Schermer said it’s amazing to finally be on the field once again for the first time since the COVID-shortened season took place in April.
“I got to prove to people who I am,” Thomas Schermer said.
With 6:56 left in the fourth quarter, Michael Lister ran it into the end zone from 32 yards away.
Velazquez said the team still has things to work on as it is just week one. Velazquez said the Trojan’s run defense was “horrible,” tackling needs to improve and his team gave away too many yards on penalties. A block in the back negated a punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Velazquez said players need to be ready for substitutions and the inside run needs to improve as well as special teams.
“Thankfully our ally and sideline plays were working well in the second half and that really broke it open for us,” Velazquez said. “Got to tackle better, we were sloppy. It’s the first game but we were sloppy.”