Ray Robitaille was grinning from ear-to-ear on Saturday afternoon, and not just because it was his birthday.
His group of 10 (yes, 10) Laguna Blanca 8-man football players gave a healthy meal to a program starving for a win, downing Ojai Valley School 36-20 on Founder’s Day at the Owls’ Hope Ranch nest.
“We’ve been building and fighting and learning how to play this game all year. And for these guys to get a win is just great for them,” said the coach just moments before being dunked with ice water.
The Owls no doubt needed plenty of ice afterwards, as most players were on the field the entire game.
Five-foot-6, 140-pound running back Austin Rusack was bouncing off of tacklers all afternoon en route to three touchdowns, the final two on runs of 32 and 68 yards.
The sophomore connection between quarterback Troy Ritter and receiver Logan Elder was also clicking, as the two hooked up for touchdowns of 15 and 28 yards in the first half. Elder also snagged two interceptions for the Owls.
“We’re good friends, which helps a lot,” said Elder of his on-field chemistry with Ritter. “This win means so much for us because we come out and play hard every week.”
The Owls (1-4, 1-0 Condor League) went up first when Ritter hit Elder in the end zone in the first quarter. OVS responded, but the Owls recovered a fumble at the 28-yards line with 37 seconds left in the half and the Ritter-Elder combo produced another touchdown just a couple of plays later. A safety and Rusack’s three TDs in the second half were enough to hold off a late charge by the visitors.
Robitaille said that the win, along with major renovations to the school’s athletic facilities (ie the addition of a full weight-room) this year should provide a big boost for the program.
“You know what? There were a lot of guys on the sidelines that came up to me… They said they’re gonna come out and play next year,” he said.
The rest of the schedule is daunting for Laguna Blanca, which plays in what Robitaille called the best 8-man league in CIF. The Owls play at No. 3 Thacher this coming Saturday before hosting eighth-ranked rival Cate on Halloween.
