Gauchos put everything together for win

There is an adage in sports that you’re only as good as what you’ve done lately. What Casa Grande’s high school football Gauchos have done for their fans lately is very good.

The Gauchos, in the midst of a frustrating season, handed their fans and alumni a satisfying victory, knocking off Maria Carrillo’s shocked Pumas, 19-14, on a happy homecoming Friday night.

Although just 2-6 on the season, the win against a highly regarded Puma team that was coming off an upset of Rancho Cotate, has the Gauchos thinking North Coast Section playoffs. To qualify, they must have at least a break-even record in the North Bay League. Now 2-3 in league, they would have to win their final two league contests, at home against Santa Rosa Saturday night and in Santa Rosa against Montgomery on Nov. 7. Note that this week’s game will be on Saturday because its originally scheduled Friday night date falls on Halloween.

Last week’s game was one the Gauchos have been eagerly anticipating all season - a game where they put everything together to beat a quality opponent. The Gauchos ran well behind the strong blocking they had been expecting all season. Quarterback JJ Anderson stepped up to execute the offense. Super kicker Matt Abramo booted two crucial field goals and kept the Pumas pinned in their own territory with every kickoff into the end zone and some booming punts. Linebacker Casey Longaker was seemingly wrapped around Puma ball carriers all night, leading an outstanding all around Casa defensive game.

“We played to our potential,” said Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog. “We had a great week of practice. The kids kept working hard and it paid off.”

Longaker, a senior team captain, had what Herzog called, “A heck of a game.” He had 14 tackles, 11 unassisted and two for Puma losses. Seldom off the field, he also carried eight times for 33 yards and was a key blocker for the Casa running attack by committee. For the game, seven different Gauchos carried for 160 yards.

“We were really hungry,” he said. “I think I ate all four meals during the game.”

Anderson was an impressive 14 of 22 passing for 148 yards and a touchdown. “JJ made good decisions,” Herzog said.

Although injuries forced some changes, the Casa Grande offensive line generally dominated the front line, with Brian Kolodan and John Parnell stepping into starting roles without the unit missing a beat. Brendan Jackson not only played a strong game on both sides of the line, but had a happy habit of falling on the football, recovering a Maria Carrillo fumble and saving the Gaucho bacon twice by recovering offensive fumbles.

All the Casa contributions were not only appreciated, but badly needed against a Maria Carrillo team, led by quarterback Walter Rotherham and running back Alex Netherda, that kept battling despite Casa front-line dominance, and had the game down to a one-score difference in the game’s last three minutes.

The Gauchos unleashed Washington State-bound Abramo early, using booming field goals of 40 and 29 yards for a 6-0 first-quarter lead.

The Casa Grande offense had its most impressive drive of the season as the second quarter wound down,driving 80 yards in 14 ball-hogging plays with a mix of medium-range passes and line-busting runs. Anderson was five-for-five in the drive, while Kevin Donohoe carried five times for 19 yards and caught a pass for 10 more.

The touchdown came on a 19-yard pass connection from Anderson to Jaleel Lawson. Lawson had five catches for 52 yards in the game.

A pass on a two-point conversion try was incomplete.

When a 41-yard field goal attempt by Abramo was blocked, Casa Grande fans enjoyed halftime homecoming festivities with a 12-0 lead.

That lead grew tenuous as the second half bloomed into existence. Starting at the 20-yard line as they always did following an Abramo kickoff, the Pumas marched 80 yards, with Netherda scoring from the 4-yard line. Key play was a 44-yard pass connection from Rotherham to Jordan Rosado.

The intensity grew even more heated in the fourth quarter. Early in the final round, Casa Grande took advantage of a short Maria Carrillo punt to score in just three plays from the Puma 30-yard line. Holten Johnson grabbed 16 of the yards on a reverse and Spencer Torkelson battled for 13 more to the 1-yard line. The irrepressible Longaker scored from there.

Coupled with Abramo’s PAT kick, the 19-7 lead gave Casa Grande a two-score cushion.

It was an insurance policy the Gauchos were glad to have when Maria Carrillo went to the air for a score as seconds clicked all too slowly off the clock for Casa comfort.

Rotherman was just three for seven on the 87-yard drive, but one was a huge 59-yard hook up with tight end Shawn Patros. Another was a 7-yard hit to Netherda for the touchdown. The Pumas benefited from a costly pass interference call on the Gauchos. Yvette Perez’s PAT kick cut the Gaucho lead to 19-14 with still 3:41 left to play.

Hindered by a holding penalty, Casa Grande managed to knock just a minute off the clock as it went three and punt.

The punt was a boomer by Abramo, and Maria took over at its own 23-yard line.

Rotherham came out throwing. He got one first down on a 12-yard pass to Netherda, but the Casa secondary held firm and Elijah Chirco capped off the stand by stopping Netherda after a short pass on a fourth-down play,

Needing only to hang onto the football, Casa Grande gave it to Longaker on three successive plays and on each carry it would have taken a jackhammer to jar the ball loose as he ran the Pumas out of hope and time.

Torkelson led the Gauchos with 64 yards in nine carries, while Longaker added 33 on eight carries and the hard-working Donohoe gained 33 on 10 carries.

Anderson had an accurate night passing for Caca Grande, completing 14 of 22 throws for 148 yards and a touchdown.