PREP FOOTBALL 2016: Petaluma and Casa seek to continue success streaks

Petaluma and Casa Grande football teams are hoping to continue good streaks while St. Vincent is trying to end a bad one.|

Petaluma and Casa Grande are hoping to continue good streaks while St. Vincent is trying to end a bad one as the high school football season heads to a conclusion with only one week left in the regular season following this weekend’s contests.

Petaluma has a string of four consecutive Sonoma County League shutouts as it plays at Elsie Allen in Santa Rosa Friday night. Casa Grande looks for its third consecutive North Bay League win at Windsor, also on Friday. Varsity kickoff for both games is 7:30 p.m. preceded by JV contests at 5 p.m.

St. Vincent has one last chance to end a seven-game North Central League I losing streak in a home game Saturday afternoon against Lower Lake. The junior varsities start the day at noon, followed by the varsity contest at 2 p.m.

Playoff quest

While Casa Grande’s Gauchos hope to build on their two-game winning streak, they would just as soon not extend a streak of two cardiac finishes that has seen them beat Maria Carrillo, 36-33, in overtime and Montgomery, 25-24, on a last-minute two-point conversion. A breather would be nice, but the Gauchos will take wins anyway they come.

The two wins in the last two weeks moved Casa closer to a break-even season overall (3-5) and in the North Bay League (2-3). Even or better with either record would make the Gauchos eligible for the North Coast Section playoffs.

Windsor at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in league are certain to be playoff eligible. The Jaguars, like the Gauchos, are a Division 2 team.

While Casa Grande was shocking Montgomery in the final minute last week, Windsor was losing to league-unbeaten Cardinal Newman, 51-14. It was the third straight game in which the Jaguar defense had been torched for 50 or more points, following losses to Rancho Cotate, 51-23, and Santa Rosa, 50-26. The Jaguars did dispatch Montgomery, 28-0, while the Vikings went on to score 24 points and all but win their game against Casa Grande last week.

Although Windsor has a good passer in Kobe Roman, the Jaguars are primarily a run-first team with two good backs in Jackson Baughman and David Escarcega. Each has rushed for more than 400 yards on the season. Roman is also a runner who has used his legs for more than 300 running yards.

Defensively, Windsor’s main man is senior middle linebacker Joey Pignatero, who is having an all-league type of season. Outside linebacker Jerod Mulholland is also having a big year.

With its top three running backs and No. 1 quarterback all injured, the Gauchos have asked other players to step up and those steps have been giant with running backs like Brian Kolodin and Brandon Cota making big contributions to Casa’s two NBL victories.

Last week, fullback Mikey Morarity, primarily a blocking back, came up big, rushing for 42 yards and catching the game-winning PAT pass in the win over Montgomery.

Garrett Buffo has taken charge of the Casa offense, leading the two victories. Last week against Montgomery, he completed 16 of 28 passes for 190 yards, a touchdown and the game-winning PAT.

Trojans beware

Petaluma’s Trojans’ job is to stay focused as they go to Santa Rosa to play a Maria Carrillo Lobo team that hasn’t won a game in two years.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Trojans (5-3 on the season, 4-1 in SCL play) are going to have an easy time Friday night.

Elsie Allen always comes to play, and the Lobos play hard. They also have several excellent athletes who are beginning to understand the game as they approach the end of the season.

Petaluma will not only be working on a four-game winning streak, but also a four-game shutout streak for its defense. If the Trojans are to stretch that streak, it will be, as it was last week in a 35-0 win over El Molino, with its entire team. Should the Trojans get an early lead, coach Rick Krist will go to the bench early, and it will be up to the reserves to preserve the blank streak, a goal they accomplished against the Lions.

Last SV chance

At St. Vincent Saturday afternoon, the Mustangs have one last chance to record a North Central League I victory in their first year in the league.

St. Vincent won its first game of the season, beating Elsie Allen 42-18, but since starting league play has lost seven straight.

In Lower Lake the Mustangs will be facing a team that is literally middle of the road with a 4-4 overall record and a 3-3 North Central League I record. Included in the Trojans’ wins was a 24-14 win over Kelseyville, a team that beat St. Vincent last week, 51-0. Among its losses was a tough 35-27 defeat at the hands of league unbeaten Fort Bragg.

The Lower Lake offense revolves around running back Nick Sani who has run for 740 yards, averaging seven yards per carry. Quarterback Hokulani Wickard has passed for 1,108 yards, connecting on 87-160 throws.

St. Vincent’s hope for an upset will hinge on getting more people involved on defense, and not having to depend totally on linebackers Brian Giron and Nick Murphy. Through eight games, Giron has been involved in 103 tackles and Murphy 94.

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