The Marin Catholic football team traveled to Santa Rosa on Friday night looking to slow down a Casa Grande passing attack that set records a week ago.
The Wildcats clamped down on the Gauchos’ passing attack, limiting Casa Grande to one touchdown on the heels of a 647-yard passing performance against Maria Carrillo the previous week.
MC (3-0) opened the scoring midway through the first quarter on a 50-yard pass from Michael Ingrassia to Kyle McBride. The Wildcats took a 7-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
MC scored the first of two special teams touchdowns when Robert Tuttle returned a punt 35 yards for a 14-0 lead. Ingrassia connected with Charlie Knapp for a 25-yard score late in the third to push the lead to 21-0.
Charles Williams capped the scoring for MC with an 80-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter.
MC travels to face McClymonds, one of the top teams in the Bay Area, next week.
San Marin wins
Justin Guin scored on the second play from scrimmage to set the tone as San Marin avenged a trio of recent defeats as the hands of Moreau Catholic, winning 37-14 in Hayward on Friday night.
Guin was one of four Mustangs — along with Andy Garcia, Frankie Quinci and Ben Langford — to score touchdowns for the Mustangs (3-0).
“Moreau Catholic has been a great, competitive game for us,” San Marin coach Dom DiMare said. “We were 0-3 going into this game so to get a win on their field felt pretty good.”
San Marin’s defense came up with a safety after Guin’s score to stake San Marin to a 10-0 lead after one quarter. The Mariners pulled within 10-7 before San Marin produced a pair of touchdowns to take a 24-7 halftime lead.
The Mustangs have a bye before opening MCAL play on Sept. 24 at San Rafael.
TL wins
Josiah Hernandez put together a huge game to lead Terra Linda to its first win of the season, 33-29 against Sonoma Valley on Friday night.
Hernandez scored a pair of rushing touchdowns but — most crucially — returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the final two minutes to give the Trojans (1-1) the lead for good.
TL held a 19-6 lead at the half but Sonoma Valley roared back to take a 22-19 lead. TL got a spark from Chris de Langis, who made an huge catch on the next drive.
“It was a back shoulder, had to get up for it acrobatic catch,” TL coach Dallas Hartwell said. It was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen.”
Hernandez’s second touchdown run put TL back in front, 26-22.
Sonoma Valley fumbled in Terra Linda territory inside the last few minutes but the Trojans fumbled the ball right back.
The Dragons cashed in for a 29-26 lead with about 90 seconds left in the game — setting the stage for Hernandez’s game-winning kickoff return.
TL faces West County at San Rafael High next Saturday night.
San Rafael falls
Jack Healy and Charlie Grant got the Bulldogs off to a good start but they were unable to sustain that momentum during a 34-7 home loss against Santa Rosa on Saturday afternoon.
“We were ok at halftime,” San Rafael coach Mark Lubamersky said. “We didn’t do well on the first possession of the second half. You could kind of feel it. It was palpable on the sideline.”
Grant and Healy connected for a score midway through the first quarter to put the Bulldogs up 7-0.
“It was a great drive — a little pass, a little run,” Lubamersky said. “If we had played like that on any possession afterward we would have fared much better.”
Santa Rosa took a 14-7 lead into the break and slowly pulled away during the second half.
Tam loses
Braden Young threw a touchdown pass for the second consecutive week but Tam’s offense was unable to generate any more points in a 15-8 road loss to Archbishop Riordan on Saturday.
Young found Austin Moore for a touchdown then connected with him again on the two-point conversion as Tam took an 8-0 lead into the half.
Riordan tied the game late in the third quarter and took the lead for good about halfway through the final quarter.
“We had a couple chances to come back,” Tam coach Matthew LemMon said. “The defense recovered a fumble with 1:10 left. We were trying to march down the field and win the game and didn’t convert on a fourth-and-8 on their (40-yard line).”
Nick Schottenfeld threw for 112 yards for Tam. Sam Reade (five catches, 58 yards) and Moore (four catches, 60 yards) were the leading receivers.
Branson rolls
George Gale threw six touchdown passes to lead Branson to a 74-6 victory against the California School For The Deaf on Friday night.
Spencer Grant had three receiving touchdown for the Bulls (2-0) and Alexander Getty caught a pair of scores.
“We got the jump on them early,” Branson coach Max Pond said. “First series we slowed it down and we got a score on a double move by Getty. … On the second series, we went up tempo, no huddle and got another score. Then they they fumbled — we were up 27-0 in the first quarter.”
Andrew Maxwell, Will Schuyler, Mo Jacoby, and Grant led the way defensively.
Branson faces Crystal Springs Upland next week.
Tomales triumphs
John Tukana and Jonathan Semoreli combined to run for almost 200 yards to lead Tomales to a 34-16 win against Roseland University Prep on Friday night.
Tukana had 95 yards on 12 carries and scored three times. Semoreli, the quarterback, had 21 carries for 92 yards and a pair of scores.
Angel Lopez (95 yards) and Ran Johnson (57 yards) also contributed to Tomales’ big day running the football. The Braves had a 28-8 lead at halftime.
