Cheroke Cunningham gave Santa Barbara a 13-6 lead in the third quarter on a 15-yard run. (Presidio Sports photos)
Ernesto Valle-Arroyo leaps onto the back of Jason Jimenez in celebration of a Jimenez sack.
Jordan Nunnery’s late touchdown capped Rio Mesa’s 16-13 victory over Santa Barbara on Friday night, as the Spartans rallied in the fourth quarter after a 35-minute weather delay awkwardly forced both teams to the Peabody Stadium locker rooms in the middle of a pivotal second-half drive.
Lightning started flashing in the night sky around the end of third quarter with Santa Barbara holding a 13-6 lead. There were a couple rumbles of thunder before the referees asked both coaches to take their players off the field.
That was with 11:40 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Spartans were feeling real momentum for the first time after two big gains – one a 53-yard reception by Jordan Nunnery – took them into the Dons’ red zone. The first play after the interruption didn’t go well for Rio Mesa, as Santa Barbara Jason Jimenez came up with a quarterback sack.
“Mentally, overcoming that whole delay with the weather and everything, that’s a lot to ask of teenage boys,” said Rio Mesa head coach Bob Gregorchuk.
The sack pushed the Spartans back only a few yards and they ended up with points after a Tim Dominguez 26-yard field goal made it 13-9.
“Our guys stepped up at the right moment and made some plays,” Gregorchuk said. “We had to get a week better and there’s still quite a bit of stuff we need to work on but I’m just real happy with the boys. They stepped up in a real hard-fought battle and made it count when it needed to.”
Santa Barbara was able to move the ball into Rio Mesa territory on their final possession on three straight completions by quarterback Shawn Ramos, but James Turner’s interception with a minute remaining sealed the Dons’ fate.
“I’m not saying we shot ourselves in the foot. I thought these kids came out and played hard but we made some mistakes,” said Dons head coach Jaime Melgoza.
The Dons grabbed a 13-6 lead in the third quarter on the strength of a 15-yard scoring run from Cheroke Cunningham. Jordan Pena’s interception allowed the Dons to start their possession at Rio Mesa’s 34 yard line, which was one of five time Santa Barbara started inside Spartan territory.
Cunningham’s scoring run was his fifth TD in four games as a sophomore this season.
Davonte Nunnery scored Rio Mesa’s first touchdown on a 28-yard pass from Trenton Thornton in the second quarter.
Santa Barbara falls to 1-3 on the year while Rio Mesa improves to 2-1. Rio Mesa was coming off a 44-13 defeat to Ventura last week and plays another Channel League school, Dos Pueblos, next week.
“Last game, we didn’t do so well so I’m glad we got the victory this week,” Jordan Nunnery said.
Dons quarterback Shawn Ramos, left, makes a cut on the option play following lead blocker Rudy Corrales.
RIO MESA 16, SANTA BARBARA 13
Rio Mesa 0 6 3 7 – 16
Santa Barbara 0 6 7 0 – 13
2nd QUARTER
SB – FG Medina 26, 11:57
SB – FG Medina, 30 7:29
RM – Nunnery, D. 28 yard pass from Thornton (kick failed)
3RD QUARTER
SB – Cunningham 15 yard run (Kick Good),
4TH QUARTER
RM – FG Dominguez 26, 10:40
RM – Nunnery, J 7 yard run (Kick good), 2:41
If SBHS head football coach wants to promote discipline, then discipline the same across the board. Seems there’s a double standard for a coach’s son who was also responsible for “popping” off to the officials at Lompoc. However, the coach’s son still gets to play the next game, while another player gets singled out in the local newspaper (by name), and is benched the following game. That benched player was thrown under the bus.
Furthermore, the assistant coach is seen disciplining a player during practice and does nothing to his son who is one of the biggest offenders. Note to self, players see through the double standard. Why have the players sign a contract? The player who got to play the next game got away with it and will continue to do so as long as dad is there to protect him.
Try playing and knowing what’s really happening first before you say something. The player who didn’t play had nothing to do with the Lompoc game. Both players have discipline and are working hard to fix what happened, get facts straight
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you are extremely wrong. The coach’s son was disciplined at the 5am practice along with the other players the morning after the game. the benched player was not benched for actions on the field, he was suspended from school therefore his attendance would not allow him to play the game. he was not “thrown under the bus” he acted out at school. the reason the assistant coach was seen disciplining the other players was because they did not attend practice on saturday, monday, or tuesday, the son of the coach was at the practices which is why he was not being disciplined at that time. the coach’s son did not get away with it, he was still disciplined, and will not continue to “pop off” or he will be severly disciplined. in fact, he is one of the most called out players on the team by the coaches. so if you are saying this, you are extremely ill-informed.
dang check the roster Ernie Arroyo wasn’t in the game that’s Coleton Chard