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Road Trip Sees Success For JV, Varsity Outlaws
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The Escalon Outlaws varsity football team looked to continue its winning ways on the road visiting the Tuolumne Jr. Bears. The game was played at Summerville High School. The Outlaws were able to stem the tide of an 8:30 opening drive by the home team Jr. Bears. Escalon was able to turn the ball over on downs on their 30-yard line. The Outlaws were able to answer with a long drive of their own holding the ball for the next 5:45. A steady dose of Luke Anderson and Logan Webster kept Tuolumne on their heels. Carson Primm was able to race around the left end from 13 yards out as the bulk of the Jr. Bears defense tackled the play fake to Anderson diving into the middle of the offensive line. Fabian Torres added the point after touchdown conversion to give Escalon an 8-0 lead.

The score would remain 8-0 Outlaws heading into the halftime break. Escalon threatened to add to their lead in the waning minutes of the first half, but a Tuolumne defender stepped in front of a Ty Harris pass intended for Elijah Lattig. Escalon would take the opening kick-off of the second half to a possession lasting 7:13, but again would come up empty. A fourth down pass from Harris intended for Lattig would fall incomplete giving possession to the Jr. Bears deep in their own territory.

The Outlaws’ defensive pressure proved to be too much for Tuolumne. On the second play, while in the shadow of their own goal post, Shane Campbell was able to wrestle the Tuolumne running back down in the Jr. Bears’ end zone for a safety giving Escalon a 10-0 lead.

The Escalon offense was able to add pressure of its own taking the possession after the Tuolumne free-kick on another scoring drive culminating in an Anderson 3-yard plunge behind a big push from the offensive line. Torres would again add the point after for an 18-0 Escalon advantage. The Outlaws would add another score on the ground by Jacob Redding from 7 yards out in the fourth quarter. This time the point after would fail leaving the score at 24-0.

The Jr. Bears had one last gasp to break the shut out driving into Escalon territory, but the defense would stand strong with their backs against the wall in the red zone as time expired.

Escalon will be on the road again next weekend to try and extend their winning streak, traveling to Sonora to visit the Jr. Wildcats.

 

Junior Varsity

The Jr. Varsity Outlaws looked to keep pace with their senior squad with their match up with the Tuolumne Jr. Bears. Escalon’s defense would give up an early score on a long broken field run and foot race to the end zone. The Jr. Bears could not convert the point after touchdown leaving the score 6-0 Tuolumne.

Escalon could get little traction on their first possession having to punt the ball back to Tuolumne. This time the Outlaws were able to corral the Jr. Bears forcing a turnover on downs on the Jr. Bears side of the 50-yard line. The first quarter expired with Escalon trailing 6-0, but that lead was not destined to last long. JP Lial took the hand off on the first play of the second quarter and raced 33 yards into the end zone. The point after touchdown failed leaving the score knotted at 6-6.

An Outlaw offensive miscue was covered by strong defense led by CJ Miller and Nathan Chavez leaving the score tied at the halftime break.

Escalon would receive the second half kick-off giving them first crack at breaking the score deadlock. Lial would again cut deep into the Tuolumne defense racing deep into Jr. Bears’ territory with a 56-yard scamper. Two plays later Evan Lewis dove through the center of the Tuolumne defensive line from 2 yards out for the touchdown. Alfonso Gonzalez was able to knock the point after touchdown through the uprights giving Escalon a 14-6 advantage.

The game became a defensive stalemate that did not leave the Jr. Bears’ side of the 50-yard line. Ryker Peters was able to pitch in to the Escalon cause scooping up a loose ball in the Tuolumne backfield squashing the Jr. Bears’ hopes of gaining momentum.

The Outlaws will be on the road again visiting Sonora for their next contest.

 

Novice

The Novice Outlaws would not fare as well as their elder brethren. Escalon would find themselves on the short end in a lopsided affair losing, 33-0. There are many areas of the game where the young Outlaws need to improve, but if they can follow in the level of energy supplied by Jamin Miller, Gideon Gerber, and Austin Cullum the team will get there sooner rather than later.

 

Jr. Novice

The youngest Outlaws again displayed their mettle tasked with competing with a numerically superior team. The Outlaws suffered two season-ending injuries last week, but will continue to fight on. Ben Gonzalez saw an increase in his opportunities with the loss of his twin brother Max and Kyrin Barajas. Gonzalez would often find himself following the path that Hezekiah Griffin opened in the Jr. Bears’ defense. Griffin Gerber would show he is not only an offensive threat, giving the defense a lift.