Saturday, October 13, 2007

PASO AND ST. JOE TOO FAST, TOO BIG


It looked like the speed factor, especially with BOBBY COLLINS (pictured last year), could benefit the Lompoc Braves Friday night in the Huyck Stadium matchup with Paso Robles.

Unfortunately nobody told Nathan Nelson, or the Bearcat linemen.

The linemen opened holes and Nelson ran through them, and kept on running, and running.

Nelson amassed, are you ready, a total of 285 yards BY HIMSELF as the Bearcats rolled 30-7.

“They killed us up front,” Lompoc coach ROBIN LUKEN told AL HUNT of the Santa Barbara News-Press. “They mangled us.”

Paso’s first score came after a 78-yard ramble by Nelson. The second came after a 53-yarder. Nelson had totaled 223 yards just by halftime.

Not only was Nelson sprinter fast, but the Paso line faced a depleted Lompoc front wall. Defensive tackle GILBERTO RIOS missed the contest due to a concussion suffered midweek, and in the second quarter offensive tackle ANDREW VAN DYKE was lost to a dislocated knee.

The lone Lompoc scoring drive was fuelled almost exclusively by the courageous COLLINS who seemed to find crevices to run through where none were visible. Collins gained 66 of the drive’s 76-yard distance including a 34-yard run inside. Still, he was pounded repeatedly.

Luken has been concerned all season about line play, he told BRAD MEMBERTO of the Lompoc Record.

“In this league you’ve got to be physical. That was one of my big concerns at the beginning of the year. We might be fast, but in that eight-man box, can we be physical?”

The answer Friday night seemed to be “not enough.”

Lompoc remains winless in the PAC-7 which they entered beginning last season. They lost all five games in 2006 and now the first two in 2007. This after going undefeated for three seasons in the Los Padres League in 2002, 2003, and 2004 and losing only once in 2005.

The Braves visit Arroyo Grande on Friday. The Eagles were humbled by Atascadero 34-0 yesterday. The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions on Comcast Channel 23.

In the other league contest San Luis Obispo threw long on fourth-and-one to tally a 29-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to overtake Righetti 14-9. The Tigers intercepted Warrior QB Justin Level three times.

IN THE LPL CABRILLO LOSES

Cabrillo’s record in the Los Padres League win column is identical to Lompoc's-- zero. The Conquistadores fell to 0-4 Friday at St. Joseph High in Santa Maria.

The Knights, now 3-0 in league play, built up a 22-0 second quarter lead, gave up a Cabrillo TD, then tacked on two more touchdowns in the third period to win 36-6.

St. Joseph quarterback Gavin Kelly got loose for a 36-yard TD run to open the scoring, then capped an 11-play drive with a seven-yard score. The Knights picked up a field goal and a Kelly-to-Travis Biegel TD pass from 20 yards out before Cabrillo found the scoreboard.
BENNIE GARRETT shouldered the load on a drive that bore fruit with a MATT ROTONDI plunge from the one-yard-line shortly before the half. Garrett finished with 108 yards on 25 carries.

Cabrillo coach DON CROSS suited up just 25 players for the contest.

In other games Logan Budd led No. 1-ranked Morro Bay to a 19-3 victory over Pioneer Valley. Budd threw a scoring pass, ran for a touchdown, and kicked two field goals. At Dave Boyd Field in Santa Maria Santa Ynez kept Santa Maria winless, and still scoreless in league, as the Pirates rolled 44-0. The Saints visit Cabrillo next for a game that one of the two teams will most likely win.

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