Rio Mesa quarterback Kado Brown looks downfield while Matt Expinosa looks for the short pass on Friday.
Starting in his first varsity high school football game, Rio Mesa’s Kado Brown made it look easy on Friday night.
The senior quarterback ate up San Marcos for six touchdowns in the first half alone on the way to a 59-13 victory for the Spartans at Warkentin Stadium in Santa Barbara.
“I had a feeling we were going to win, but 59-13? That was crazy,” said an enthusiastic Brown after the game. “This is my first varsity game and this just feels good.”
The 59 points were the most Rio Mesa has scored in a single game since a 61-0 victory over Hueneme on November 2, 2007.
Brown rushed for four scores and threw for two more as Rio Mesa scored on its first seven possessions of the game. The incredibly fast but strong runner totaled 117 yards on 13 carries in the first two quarters. His two passing touchdowns were for 11 yards to Brad Borodaty and a 41-yard catch-and-run to Martel Tyler.
Rio Mesa running back Matt Expinosa finds a hole into the secondary
“Just following the blocks man,” Brown said, crediting his offensive line for the team’s success. “I try to keep my vision open, I saw cutback lanes. It’s following the blocks. It really is, it really is.”
Matt Expinosa benefited from the blocking too, collecting 56 yards in the first half before tearing off a 74-yard scoring run on the first snap of the second half.
Brown did not play in the second half of Rio Mesa’s season opener but said it was great to see the team’s preparation pay off.
“That’s all I can really say,” Brown said. “It’s hard work, dedication, weight room, film, and on the field practicing.”
The Royals didn’t make it any easier on themselves by losing three first-half fumbles and spotting the Spartans the ball inside their redzone twice. Both times resulted in Rio Mesa touchdowns.
“Adversity happens,” said Royals head coach Anthony Linebaugh. “Hey, it kind of shows where we are and where we need to go.”
While Rio Mesa was putting points on the scoreboard at a blistering pace, the Royals struggled on offense and didn’t even record a first down on their first eight possessions.
Already down 46-0 in the second quarter, San Marcos had just stopped Rio Mesa’s offense for the first time when Cameron Whitney broke to the outside and scampered 26 yards for a San Marcos touchdown.
Will Hewes hauled in the Royals’ second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a six-yard throw from Wes Ghan-Gibson. The scoring connection capped an 8-play, 82-yard drive for San Marcos that included a 24-yard completion to Austin Pugh and an 18-yard run from Whitney.
San Marcos falls to 0-2 while Rio Mesa was victorious in its season opener.
RIO MESA 59, SAN MARCOS 13
FIRST QUARTER
10:30 – Brown 18-yard run (Dominguez kick)
5:37 – Brown 11-yard run (Dominguez kick)
3:19 – Brown 4-yard run (Borodaty pass to Rocha)
0:16 – Brown 11-yard pass to Borodaty (Dominguez kick)SECOND QUARTER
11:28 – Brown 15-yard run (Dominguez kick)
8:39 – Brown 41-yard pass to Tyler (Dominguez kick)
4:52 – Dominguez 40-yard FG
2:01 – Whitney 28-yard run (Hall kick)THIRD QUARTER
11:35 – Expinosa 74-yard run (Dominguez kick)FOURTH QUARTER
10:22 – Wrout 2-yard run (2pt. no good)
4:38 – Ghan-Gibson 6-yard pass to Hewes (kick blocked)
