Football gospel dictates that it takes four quarters to win a game but it would not be heresy to say Friday night’s non-league visit by Cabrillo to Dos Pueblos High was a case of one-and-done.
Cabrillo’s Isaiah Montes ran 79 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the game and the Conquistadores stormed to a 28-0 lead in the first 11 minutes before cruising to a 28-7 win that improved their record to 3-0 and dropped Dos Pueblos to 0-3.
Bryce Moses added a 12-yard TD run and Alex Turner returned one of nine DP fumbles (four lost) for a 48-yard score to make it 21-0 with 3:02 left in the first period. Another fumble recovery led to a 4-yard scoring run by Wyatt Esola and the fourth of Stephan Dalton’s PAT kicks. The Chargers fumbled or threw an interception on all but one of their first half possessions, the exception being one where an interception was fumbled back to them after a 25-yard return. It was a rare miscue for Cabrillo defensive back Dan French, who grabbed three picks on the night.
“Nine, ten fumbles, four lost, and three picks, that must set a record,” said DP coach Jeff Uyesaka. “It’s a different team than I know. We are definitely better that. We’ll need better ball control than that to have a chance at all and certainly not against a team like we played tonight.
“They really beat us,” he added. “And I don’t really think you could say we tightened up and held them down after that first quarter. It was really more that they got into a basic run mode because their coach (Craig Knowles) knows we are struggling and he’s a classy guy and Cabrillo has class, and we appreciate that.”
In fact, Dos Pueblos’ only real scoring threat came in the final minutes with both teams deep into their bench on an 11-yard scoring pass from Johnny Yuhasz to Jake Roberts. By that time, Cabrillo had given 11 players a chance to run the ball, and numerous others extensive playing time.
Senior lineman Nick Bell noted that the big horses on the Cabrillo line, ranging from 6-foot-5, 300-pound center Creeks Drap to 6-4, 255-Caedan Johnson-Green, 6-4, 220 Ben Kramer and 6-2, 230 Javier Valdez, were primed to run for all four quarters but said he understood and appreciated the opportunity to expand the playing roster.
“We’re all eager to play but the game was in hand and we are a team,” he said.
Quarterback Henry Fienga, banged up slightly in the second quarter, left the game but said afterward that he was fine.
“I’m good, no problem,” he noted. His arm certainly should be rested after only three passes.
Moses totaled 96 yards and Montes went for 107 as Cabrillo racked up 257 yards on 44 carries. Dos Pueblos, however, actually ran more offensive plays and was nearly equal in total yards, reflecting just how devastating their list of ball control boo-boos _ many coming without aid of contact _ had been. All-county tailback Josh Bartley ripped off enough good runs to finish with 108 yards on 20 carries but even he put the ball on the ground a few times.
“We’re definitely going to work on ball control,” said Uyesaka. “We’ve got some guys dinged up and all but this inexperience thing is getting old.”
Knowles, meanwhile, said that he has noticed a lot of teams have been obliging the Conqs with turnovers lately and believes it may no longer be a coincidence.
“I think we’ve definitely done a good job of creating some of those mistakes,” he said.
Manufactured or gift-wrapped, there’s no arguing with the results. The 3-0 start and No. 3 CIF ranking for Cabrillo is the best start in Knowles’ four-year career as head coach.
“It all comes down to the players,” he said. “I’m not a different coach, it’s just them and how they are working.”
CABRILLO 28, DOS PUEBLOS 7
Cabrillo 28 0 0 0 – 28
Dos Pueblos 0 0 0 7 – 7
First quarter
C-Montes 79 run (Dalton kick) 11:37.
C-Moses 12 run (Dalton kick) 5:23.
C-Turner 48 fumble return (Dalton kick) 3:02.
C-Esola 4 run (Dalton kick) 1:30.
Fourth quarter
DP-Roberts 11 pass Yuhasz (Rieck kick) :31.
C DP
First downs 12 11
Rushes-yards 44-257 33-142
Passing yards 3 97
Total yards 261 239
Passes 1-3-0 9-17-3
Sacks 0-0 1-6
Fumbles 9-4 3-1
Punts 4-29 3-34
Penalties 1-0 3-20
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING – C: Montes 9-107, Moses 12-96, Babuta 2-11, Fienga 3-14, Esola 6-16, Larson 3-minus-4, French 1-5, Beltran 3-4, Pacheco 1-2, Westbury 1-minus-3, Naputi 3-9. DP: Bartley 20-108, Cifuentes 1-2, Roberts 1-minus-7, Arzate 5-15, Sassola 1-minus-1, Spiritosanto 1-minus-3, Rohde 1-6, Briones 3-24.
PASSING – C: Fienga 1-3-0-3. DP: Arzate 7-13-3-66; Yuhasz 2-4-0-31.
RECEIVING – C: Aldridge 1-3. DP: Sassola 5-47, Rohde 1-6, Bartley 1-13, Roberts 2-31.
MISSED FIELD GOAL – none.
RECORDS – C 3-0, DP 0-3.
Chargers didn’t give up even after they fell behind 28-0 early in the game. DP played Cabrillo even in the last two and a half quarters and scored the only touchdown of the second half late in the game. Yes DP made lots of mistakes (interceptions/fumbles) but they showed lots of heart plaiying against a team that was much bigger then the Chargers.