It was a disappointing night for the freshman football team this past Thursday in Patterson. The young Cougars went up against a very beatable opponent, but a series of turnovers, dropped passes, missed tackles, and failed blocks resulted in a 27-0 loss.

The first half ended in a 0-0 tie, with Escalon stalling on possessions at the Tigers’ 35 (failed conversion of a fourth and 1) and the 8-yard line (fumble). Escalon started the second half with a three and out, and a bad snap on the ensuing punt gave Patterson the ball on the Cougars’ 20. A valiant defensive effort left the home team with a fourth and 20, but Patterson’s quarterback eluded several would-be tacklers on a twisting 30-yard touchdown run. The two point conversion made the score 8-0.

Escalon couldn’t sustain an effective drive throughout the second half, and three fourth quarter scores by the Tigers ran the final score to 29-0.

“We played much better on both sides of the ball,” said Coach Roger Beeman. “We just couldn’t overcome our own mistakes. This was a team we could have beaten by three scores, but we ended up being shut out for the second consecutive game. Our mistakes were physical – very fixable – but we played smarter, tougher, and more consistently than we have all season. We have a lot of work to do, but we’ll get there. The guys are willing to do the work.”

The freshmen play next at home on Thursday, Sept 29 against Hughson.