MINER ON THE LOOSE - Nevada Union's Conner Keith breaks free on a run in action from the Miners' freshman team's win over Franklin of Elk Grove on Oct. 23. The Miners remained undefeated on the season with a 50-16 win over Laguna Creek last night in Elk Grove. See story below for game details.
NU rains points on Laguna Creek
In 50-16 frosh football romp
It rained on the spectators at Elk Grove Community Stadium Thursday night but not has hard as the Nevada Union Miners’ frosh football team rained on the host Laguna Creek Cardinals.
Putting forth a dominating first half in which they built a 36-0 lead by intermission, the Miners improved their season record to 7-0 with a 50-16 throttling of the homestanding Cardinals.
Now 3-0 in Delta Valley League play, the Miners will host Elk Grove next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. with the DVL frosh league title on the line.
“It should be a good match up,” said NU co-coach Gary Sharpe. “Elk Grove has a good team and has beat some quality opponents this season.”
The Miners didn’t waste any time in getting their offense going as quarterback Josiah Paye got the romp started by rolling over from eight-yards out on NU’s opening drive.
Paye then threw a two-point conversion pass to Connor Fuller for an 8-0 advantage. Paye ended the contest going 6 for 6 in the air with a pair of two-point conversion tosses and a 20-yard scoring pass to Fuller in the second period.
In the second stanza, the Miners added scoring runs of three yards by Garrett Strohm, another of 45 by Brad Spangler and a back-breaking 90-yard rollout and tackle-breaking scamper by Paye on the last play of the first half.
Mikey Cordova kept the pressure on the Cardinals in the second half with a 70-yard touchdown jaunt and after Laguna scored their first touchdown of the evening Spangler returned the Cardinals’ kickoff 70 yards for NU’s final score.
Top defenders for the Miners included Brandon Fabela with seven tackles, Alex Sandoval with five and Zack Sears and LaMonte Ray each with sacks of the Laguna quarterback.
In other frosh action Thursday:
Placer 14 Lincoln 13 at Lincoln - Hayden Goodwin’s successful extra point boot after a 10-yard scoring run by Casey Sabins in the third quarter provided Placer’s freshman with the margin of victory in a 14-13 Pioneer Valley League football win over Lincoln Thursday.
Playing on the road, the Hillmen trailed 13-7 at halftime but took the second half kickoff and behind quarterback Jacob O’Callaghan and the running of Sabins and Goodwin, marched into the end zone with Sabins’ touchdown run tying the game.
Lincoln, 2-2 in PVL games, had taken an early 13-0 lead before Goodwin broke free on a 20-yard scoring run and added the point after kick to bring the Hillmen to within, 13-7.
Placer, now 4-4 overall on the season and 3-1 in PVL games, also received sturdy defensive play in the game according to coach Jim Gray from D.J. Rodriguez, Colton Davenport, Lou Esway and Sabins and Goodwin.
Goodwin also added a pass interception, the ninth by the Hillmen secondary this season.
Placer will play at Colfax (5-2, 3-1) next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in a PVL game.
Bear River 41 Mesa Verde 8 at Lake of the Pines – The Bruins dominated both sides of the ball in the one-sided Pioneer Valley League romp over the visiting Mavericks.
Bruins quarterback James Harris and running backs Jimmy Bamburg and Garret Jensen all ran for first half touchdowns has the hosts built a big 41-0 halftime lead.
Bear River, now 6-2 overall and 2-2 in PVL games, received strong defensive games from Bamburg and Josh Bentacourt. Bear River plays at Lincoln next Thursday.
Del Oro 40 Woodcreek 6 at Loomis – The visiting Timber Wolves stunned the Golden Eagles with an early touchdown before the hosts reeled off 40 unanswered points for their eighth straight win of the season.
“They came out with some razzle-dazzle, some reverses and a fake punt but then we settled down and played a good game,” said Del Oro assistant coach Mark Jeter.
Del Oro’s Nick O’Sullivan helped spark the Del Oro comeback with a pair of long first half scoring runs and quarterback Bobby Heatherington connected with Tnner Huber and Daniel Thomas, the latter coming on the last play of the half which gave Del Oro a 28-6 lead.
Huber and Jake Jackson led the defense for Del Oro which hosts Rocklin next Thursday at 5:30 p.m.