Petaluma continues high-scoring ways, whomping El Molino

Petaluma High School’s football Trojans stepped boldly into the El Molino football arena and quickly made a rug out of the homestanding Lions last Friday night.

Final count in what was a match between two of the Sonoma County League’s top title contenders was 56-21, and it wasn’t really that close. Playing on the Lions’ still-new synthetic turf on a chilly autumn night in Forestville, Petaluma led at the half, 42-14, and was on top, 56-14, as the fourth quarter began with an unimpeded clock.

The win was Petaluma’s seventh in eight games and left the Trojans 3-1 in SCL play with only a Saturday night “home” game at Casa Grande against Elsie Allen (1-4) left on their regular-season schedule. El Molino is now 4-3 and 2-1 in league with a huge game at SCL-unbeaten Analy coming up Friday night followed by a final league game at home against Healdsburg on Oct., 29.

As have been so many of Petaluma’s victories this season, the win over El Molino was a total team effort, featuring a bevy of backs running behind solid line blocking.

Senior Justin Wolbert masterfully administered the Petaluma attack. Wolbert had alternated in recent games with junior Cole Powers, but Wolbert was so impressive early on that Trojan coach Rick Krist stuck with the senior most of the way, with Powers coming in late in the game. He still had time to throw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Connor Pedersen.

Wolbert set the tone for the game on the Trojans’ third play from scrimmage when he faked the Lions out of their helmets and sprinted 53 yards for a touchdown with the game less than two minutes old.

“Justin had the momentum going, so we just went with him,” Krist said of the decision to stick with the senior.

After his initial carry, Wolbert carried just four more times, leaving the running up to the swift Trojan halfbacks - Garrett Freitas (127 yards), Dominic Ayers (49 yards) and Justin Turner (35 yards).

Turner scored two rushing touchdowns and caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Wolbert.

Petaluma rushed for 323 yards, with 12 different players carrying the ball. Wolbert and Powers combined to pass for 123 more, with Wolbert a perfect 5-for-5 with two touchdowns, and Powers 1-for-4 with one touchdown. Overall, the Trojans had 489 total yards.

“Our speed helped us,” Krist said. “They were stacking the middle to stop Rollstin (fullback Jacob Rollstin, who had just two carries), so we were able to get outside.”

Relieved of his ball carrying responsibilities, Rollstin contributed with his blocking and especially his defense. The linebacker was the major factor in limiting the Lion running game to 145 total yards. Quarterback Jacob Sani did have some success throwing short against the Trojans, completing 12 of 22 passes for 153 yards.

One of his connections was a 20-yard touchdown strike to Colman Hayes.

Mostly, Sani had to throw on the run chased by the Trojans’ dominating front line led by Luke Haggard, who added to his growing reputation and tackle total with seven stops, including a sack and a tackle for loss.

The Trojans had one momentary but very glaring gaffe when they fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line and Sani nudged it into the end zone for the Lions’ first touchdown.

The mistake was far from fatal since Petaluma already had 21 points at the time.

Petaluma’s touchdowns were scored by:

First quarter:

Wolbert on a 53-yard run

Turner on a 19-yard run

Turner on a 14-yard run

Second quarter:

Freitas on a 34-yard run

Wolbert on a 3-yard run

Nick Ayers on a 2-yard pass from Wolbert

Third quarter:

Turner on a 71-yard pass from Wolbert

Conor Pedersen on a 52-yard pass from Powers.

Fourth quarter:

Did not score

Daxton Hogya kicked the conversion following each Petaluma touchdown.