Cate’s Kyle Mayfield accounted for four touchdowns in Saturday’s 8-man football game in Hope Ranch.
Kyle Mayfield picked apart Laguna Blanca’s defense on Saturday, as Cate’s quarterback rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another in a 35-0 Condor League victory for the Rams.
The win clinched a playoff berth for Cate, while Laguna will have to petition CIF for a postseason spot after the regular season closes out next week. Both teams are expected to finish with victories.
“We called it the ‘Win and You’re In.’,” said Cate head coach Ben Soto. “We know that the time that we have left together is closing down so we wanted to hopefully keep that window open for at least another week going into playoffs.”
Laguna Blanca’s Brandon Bickett (25) was the Owls’ leading rusher.
Saturday’s game was largely competitive except for the second quarter, when the Rams scored 28 of their 35 points. Mayfield found the end zone first for Cate, finishing off a 57-yard drive with a 1-yard keeper early on in the period.
The real damage was done in a three-minute flurry just before halftime.
With 2:59 on the clock, Max Vasquez ran in Cate’s second touchdown on a second-and-goal from the two-yard line. Austin Gallegos converted the first of two 2-pt. conversions following Vasquez’s TD to make it 14-0.
Gallegos would also have added a touchdown to his credit on the very next play from scrimmage if not for a penalty on an interception return. Edward Hawkins made sure the Rams still posted the six points two plays later on a 20-yard screen pass from Mayfield.
Suddenly, Cate had added 14 points to their score in a 25-second span.
“We adjusted our blocking scheme and started doing more counters and fakes to the outside and that really seemed to pay off,” Mayfield explained.
Laguna freshman Stephen McCaffery (11) saw a number of snaps at quarterback on Saturday.
Mayfield drove the point home just before halftime with a 41-yard dash to six more points.
“He’s just an athlete,” Soto said of his quarterback. “He’s a good reader and he reads what the defense gives him.”
On the Rams’ final scoring drive, Mayfield completed passes to Hawkins for 33 yards and Gallegos for 16 yards before running it in himself from three yards out.
Laguna Blanca has been hurt by injuries this season but the Owls’ undermanned squad put up a good fight.
“I was pleasantly surprised that it was 0-0 at the end of one (quarter),” said Owls head coach Ray Robitaille. “And I’m saying, you know what, keep tackling and keep blocking, and we’re still in this game. But we just ran out of gas.”
Freshman Stephen McCaffery split snaps at quarterback with starter Brandon Bickett because Bickett was playing with five stitches in his throwing hand. Bickett was still active in the running and passing game while not playing quarterback, as was Joey Eckert, Logan Elder and Andrew Vignolo.
Laguna faces Ojai Valley School next week and Cate (4-3, 1-1) hosts Dunn.
CATE 35, LAGUNA BLANCA 0
2nd QUARTER
10:14 – C Mayfield 1-yard run (PAT no good)
2:59 – C Vasquez 2 yard run (Gallegos catch)
2:35 – C Hawkins 20-yard reception from Mayfield (PAT no good)
0:12 – C Mayfield 41 yard run (Gallegos catch)
3rd QUARTER
4:45 – C Mayfield 3 yard run (Lowe kick)
