A Slow Start To the High School Football Season
Sonora, CA — The 2018 high school football season kicked off last night with a couple of local teams in action.
The Sonora High Wildcats opened their season with a loss to the Oakdale Mustangs 49-0.
On a hot night in the Central Valley, the Wildcats just couldn’t get warmed up. From the onset, the Mustang defense stayed keyed in on the Sonora offense. Opening game nerves seemed to keep the Cats from being able to build momentum. Early in the first quarter, the Mustang’s Oscar Ramos tumbled in from 1 yard out to start the scoring. The Wildcats appeared to have their offense moving when Jake Gookin was blindsided and coughed up the ball with an Oakdale player falling on the fumbled pig skin. A couple plays later, Oakdale’s Zeke Saffar rushed from 35 yards out to take the score to 14-0, Oakdale at the end of the first quarter.
Sonora was stymied again in the second quarter with the offense struggling to move the ball down the field. Oakdale’s Saffar scored at the end of a 51 yard drive by barreling into the end zone. The Mustangs made it to the goal post one more time in the first half to keep its lead 28 to 0.
Oakdale took it to the end zone three more times in the third quarter with two rushing plays, one from 17 yards and a 15 yard run, and one 11 yard pass to make the score 49-0 in favor of the Mustangs.
With a running clock in the 4th quarter, the Wildcats were unable to put any points on the scoreboard and dropped their opening game 49-0 to the Oakdale Mustangs. Sonora returns to Dunleavy Field to take on the Ripon Indians next Friday.
Bret Harte High School lost it opener as well to Orestimba, 50 to 27. The Summerville Bears season opener is at home next Friday against Mariposa. Calaveras High School will also start its season then, on the road, against Escalon.
