Cabrillo Falls But Ruano Has Breakout Game

At Huyck Stadium Friday night the Cabrillo Conquistadores fell to Nipomo 24-14 but a star was born on the Q defense.

EMMER RUANO (picture) apparently photocopied himself as he seemed to be everywhere. Starting from defensive end or occasionally as an extra linebacker the 5-9, 165-pound senior appeared unblockable. For his efforts he was named Defensive Player of the Game.

THE COMPUTER SPEAKS

by Statmeister Mike Loney

Great teams are able to overcome their mistakes, or don't make them in the first place. Cabrillo, on Friday night, did neither.

The team played hard the entire game, but wasted this effort during a less than two minute span in the second quarter. Facing a game but beatable Nipomo squad, they committed two disastrous execution errors on back-to-back possessions that cost them 14 points and the ball game. After the first decent punt of the evening by Nipomo (36 yds), Cabrillo ran for a yard setting up a 2nd & 9 from their own 15 yd line. On the ensuing play, the quarterback - running back exchange was fumbled. There was a mad scramble for the ball, and at least two Conqs had a shot at recovering it, before Nipomo's Nathan Mendoza scooped it up at the 1 yd line and strolled into the end zone. Score : Cabrillo 6 Nipomo 7.

The second error occurred on the fourth Cabrillo possession. They had a series of plays which demonstrated the offensive inconsistency shown by both teams: an 8-yd loss on a lateral swing pass, a 10-yd gain by the tailback, and a 2- yd loss on a QB sack (net= 0 yds). After a 5-yd illegal procedure penalty was marked off, the resulting punt was blocked due to a variety of factors - a great defensive play not being one of them. Cabrillo went from a 1st and 10 on their own 38 to a Nipomo 1st and goal on the Cabrillo 6-yd line. The following play was a 6-yd TD run by Nipomo tailback Billy Chambers. Score: Cabrillo 6 Nipomo 14.

Cabrillo had started the scoring with a 13-yd TD run by BENNIE GARRETT on the first play of the 2nd quarter to culminate a 10 play, 66-yd drive. The 1st quarter consisted of a Cabrillo 3-and- out, and two short Nipomo drives that resulted in punts of 21 and 15 yards before the Cabrillo scoring drive began. The rest of the 2nd quarter featured a 10 play Nipomo drive which set up a 29 yd FG and two Cabrillo five play drives stalled by sacks (-10 yds and -15 yds respectively).Halftime Score: Cabrillo 6 Nipomo 17.

Cabrillo got back into the game with a 9 play, 67-yd drive to start the 3rd quarter. QB SEAN ALLEN scoring on a 1 yd plunge, and a 2 pt , 2-yd PAT run by Garrett closed the gap to 3 points (14-17). However, most of the rest of the game was a series of turnovers (Cabrillo interception, Nipomo fumble), punts, penalties, and turnovers on downs by both teams. The lone exception was a Nipomo drive that started with 3:03 left in the game. Billy Chambers battered a tiring Cabrillo defense with five carries for 43 yds including an 11-yd TD run with 69 seconds left on the clock, bumping the final score to 24-14 in favor of the Nipomo Titans.

A few notes: Garrett had 20 carries for 101 yds and 1 reception for 9 yds, Nipomo RB Chambers was 23-129 yds rushing (2 TD) and 4-27 yds receiving. Passing- Cabrillo (Sean Allen) 6-12-1 69 yds ; sacked 5-34 yds, Nipomo (Mason Sperakos) 9-19-0 134 yds ; 2 sacks for 16 yds. Receiving: Cabrillo- CHRIS ZAHUTA 3-40, BRANDON WHITTAKER 2-20; Nipomo-D. Stroub 3-57, K. Webb 3-50. EMMER RUANO & MATT ROTONDI had good games defensively for the Conqs.

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In other LPL games the Santa Ynez Pirates lost three fumbles in the first half and Templeton capitalized en route to a 36-0 victory, 6-foot-4 Scott Cathcart caught eight passes for three touchdowns over smaller Pioneer Valley defensive backs as St. Joseph surprised the Panthers 28-14, and Morro Bay posted 502 total yards to Santa Maria's 75 in a 68-0 demolition job over the Saints. In non league play star Righetti quarterback Justin Level personally accounted for 430 yards in total offense as the Warriors downed Dos Pueblos 35-23, San Luis Obispo downed Santa Barbara 26-14, West Bakersfield dealt Paso Robles its first defeat of the season 31-27, and Atascadero rolled over Clovis 41-0. Lompoc had a bye.

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Los Padres League standings:

Morro Bay 1-0

Nipomo 1-0

St. Joseph 1-0

Templeton 1-0

Pioneer Valley 1-1

Santa Maria 0-1

Santa Ynez 0-1

Cabrillo 0-2

Friday's Results

Nipomo 24, Cabrillo 14

St. Joseph 28, Pioneer Valley 14

Morro Bay 68, Santa Maria 0

Templeton 36, Santa Ynez 0