The Varsity Outlaws youth football team looked to continue their winning ways while entertaining the visiting Waterford Sabrecats on Saturday. This match up would be the first of the Motherlode Valley Football League Regular Season schedule. Escalon would again display their dominance in the trenches at the line of scrimmage.
It did not take Escalon very long to notch the first score of the day. Three plays after receiving the opening kick-off Escalon’s Luke Anderson was off to the races. Anderson took the handoff for a 37-yard ride through the middle of the Waterford defense bouncing toward the right sideline for the score. The point after touchdown kick was converted by Fabian Torres giving Escalon an 8-0 advantage.
The Escalon defense would set a torrid pace allowing little to no yardage for each play from scrimmage. The Outlaws would force a punt from the Sabrecats first possession. Carson Prim received the punt on the Escalon 45-yard line and with a key block from Demetrius Teixeira, Prim was able to run all the way down the right sideline for the touchdown. Torres added the point after touchdown kick to extend the lead to 16-0.
Anderson started the second half just as he started the first toting the ball 48 yards this time off the left end for the score, and with the conversion booted through by Torres the lead stretched to 24-0.
The defense would not allow the Sabrecats any deeper than the 25-yard line into Outlaw territory led by the efforts of Shane Campbell, Jacob Redding, and Wyatt Dean. All three had multiple tackles for a loss, trapping the Sabrecats ball carrier in the offensive backfield.
Escalon tallied two more scores in the fourth quarter. The first came on a 55-yard pass from Ty Harris to Campbell, and the second on a 28-yard sweep around the right side of the offense by Torres. Only one of the two point after touchdown kicks was successful taking the score to the final of 38-0.
Escalon will be on the road next week visiting Salida.
Junior Varsity
The JV Outlaws wanted to extend their winning streak hosting visiting Waterford. The Outlaws looked to find stability after surviving a hard fought battle the previous week in Sonora.
Escalon would toss down the gauntlet taking the opening kick-off on a long drive propelled by hard runs by JP Lial. Josh Miller connected with Alfonzo Gonzalez on a one-yard pass for the touchdown. Gonzalez followed with the point after touchdown conversion kick to lead 8-0. The Sabrecats would force an Outlaws punt following their recovery of an onside kick. Waterford would take their first opportunity on offense, and cash in. The point after kick ricocheted off of the right upright leaving Escalon with the lead 8-6.
Escalon would only have to wait two plays after the next kick-off to extend their slim lead. Christian Tinoco would break through the left side of the Waterford defensive front racing 60 yards to the end zone. The point after touchdown kick could not be converted this time, but Escalon would enjoy a 14-6 lead.
The Sabrecats would stumble on offense giving the ball back to the Outlaws with a fumble and Miller would connect for his second touchdown pass of the day finding Tinoco behind the Waterford defense for a 33-yard score as the first half expired. The point after touchdown could not be converted leaving the score 20-6 in Escalon’s favor.
The Sabrecats could not keep up with the defensive pressure as Lial was able to steal the hand-off in the Waterford offensive backfield giving Escalon a chance to extend its lead early in the second half. Evan Lewis would carry the ball 44 yards to the end zone on the third play following the turnover. Gonzalez would convert the point after touchdown adding to the Outlaws’ tally making the score 28-6. The Outlaws would surrender a touchdown with less than 30 seconds on the game clock, the point after conversion kick was good closing the score gap to 28-14.
Novice
The young Outlaws could not keep the momentum rolling after the thrill of the win from their week in Sonora. Escalon would come up on the short side of the scoreboard falling 19-0 to the visiting Sabrecats.
The game was much closer than the scoreboard would read. Waterford would benefit from a special teams mistake when the Outlaws were backed up to their own end zone recovering a loose ball in the Escalon end zone. The point after touchdown was run in giving the visitors a 7-0 lead. Escalon would suffer key injury losses at the half. Ryan Lewis, Jayden Martinez and Anthony Jones did not return, leaving adjustments to be made to fill those holes left behind.
The Outlaws did fight as best they could, led by efforts by Austin Cullum, Matthew Freeseha, and Jamin Miller. The Sabrecats would wear the Outlaws down scoring on long runs late in the third quarter. Only one of the point after conversions was made extending the lead to the final 19-0.
Jr. Novice
The youngest of the Escalon Outlaws took their skills to task against the visiting Waterford Sabrecats. These boys show improvement each week they get to compete. All of the boys are doing well to learn the lessons taught by the coaching staff, and apply them in game situations. Nate Millard, Conner McDowell and Hezekiah Griffin stood tall, wrangling the Waterford ball carriers from the first snap to the last.
The Outlaws head out on the road this week, traveling to Salida for Saturday, Sept. 24 contests.
