Rancho Cotate rains touchdowns on Casa

There was thunder, lightning and heavy rain in Rohnert Park Friday night - and then the storm began.

After a prelude of wild weather, Rancho Cotate rained a multitude of touchdowns all over Casa Grande, spoiling the Gauchos’ North Bay League season opener, 45-10.

In just four plays at the outset of the game, Rancho Cotate’s home-standing Cougars scored two touchdowns and the Gauchos never recovered.

“We were shocked when they jumped on us so quickly,” said Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog. “They caught us off guard and we never recovered.”

Rancho Cotate led 28-0 after the first quarter and 45-7 at the half. The second half was played with a running clock.

Fans were still drying off their seats from the pre-game rain when Rancho Cotate’s Carlos Franco hit a tunnel-sized hole on the right side of the Ranch line and raced 68 yards for the game’s first score.

Casa Grande then ran three plays for a net gain of 0 yards and punted. The Cougars’ Grant Davis ran Matt Abramo’s booming kick back 48 yards, and, on the first play from scrimmage from the 12-yard line, Michael Ross ran a delay up the middle for those 12 yards and a second Rancho Cotate touchdown with the game less than three minutes into history.

The hurt quickly deepened for Casa Grande. After JJ Anderson teamed up with Spencer Torkelson for Casa’s initial first down, the Gauchos fumbled, and it took just two plays for the Ranch to score again. Cooper Nicks, filling in for injured starting quarterback Gunner Mefferd. tossed a short pass to Chris Taylor-Mamanoha, who broke through a slew of would-be Casa Grande tacklers for a 32-yard score.

Before the initial quarter had expired, Ross developed wings and flew over the massed Casa Grande line for a 1-yard touchdown to make the score 28-0.

Things improved for Casa Grande from there.

Although Rancho Cotate kept scoring in the second quarter, adding two more touchdowns and a 31-yard field goal by Keven Nguyen, Casa Grande was able to earn some satisfaction with a touchdown. Kevin Donohoe set up the score by breaking a crowd-stirring 57-yard run to quickly move Casa to the Rancho Cotate 8-yard line. Fullback Casey Longaker battered his way into the end zone from there.

Although there were extenuating circumstances, like a running clock, and Rancho Cotate taking its foot off the offensive excelerator a bit, Casa Grande actually won the second half, out-scoring Rancho Cotate, 3-0.

Casa Grande won the up-front battle on both offense and defense on both sides of scrimmage over those clock-shortened final two periods, and was also able to preview its future. By the end of the game, the offensive backfield included Frank Gawronski at quarterback, along with Torkelson and Max Cerini at running backs. All are sophomores.

“The players felt better about themselves after the second half,” Herzog noted. “It was definitely something to build on.”

Casa Grande scored the half’s only points early in the third period when Abramo booted a 45-yard field goal with plenty of distance to spare.

Franco gained 112 yards on just nine carries for the Cougars, while Nicks hit just nine of 17 passes, but for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Six of his connections went to Taylor-Yamanoha for 70 yards.

Donohoe had an impressive game for the Gauchos, not only gaining 78 yards on just five carries, but also returning kicks well. The bad news is that he had a lot of opportunities.

Ninteen Casa players were credited with tackles as Herzog gave a lot of Gauchos playing time. Elijah Chirco led Casa with seven tackles, five solo, while Brent Eger and Donohoe had six each and Nic Petri, Julian Lopez and Nick Jensen five apiece.

Casa Grande did gain some measure of satisfaction, with the junior varsity winning, 14-13, on a last-minute touchdown by Garrett Buffo.

Although Casa Grande missed conversion attempts after both of its touchdowns, it was able to compensate and win the game with a safety.