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Brentwood Press - DiscoveryBayPress_08.22.08 - Index

2B | brentwoodpress.com sports august 22, 2008
Patriots power past opening-day foes
by avi Burk
staff Writer
The Delta Patriots youth football players and cheerleaders
took to the field to kick off the organization’s third season
of competition in the National Youth Football League
(NYFL) this past Saturday, and its 11 teams compiled a 6-5
cumulative record on the day, highlighted by the Patriots West
taking three of four against the Mission Valley Cougars with
wins in the Starts, Rookies and Varsity divisions.
The Patriots West Varsity team posted the most lopsided
score of the day, downing the Cougars 30-0 on the road.
Quarterback Cody Suckow and receiver Carter Blaise hooked
up for the Patriots’ first score of the season, a 15-yard touchdown
pass that set the tone for the rest of the game. Sammy
Davis provided the play of the game, a 70-yard punt return
into the end zone. Rickey Ackerman and Jeff Greene rounded
out the scoring for the Patriots as Ackerman punched in
a 5-yard touchdown run and Greene scored on the ground
from 10 yards out.
Blaise also led the Patriots’ defensive charge, hauling in a
remarkable three interceptions. Davis added an interception,
and sure tackling by Tanner Winton, Hunter Capps and Ackerman
halted the Cougar running game dead in its tracks.
The Patriots East Starts team posted an impressive 28point
victory of its own on opening day, trouncing the Galt
Jr. Warriors 35-7.
The defending 2007 State Champion Patriot squad got
tremendous blocking up front from offensive linemen Nicholas
Makinano, Justin Story, Nikolas Filardo, Dominic Papini
and Dave Romero, who opened huge running lanes for the
backfield trio of Jett Stanley, Hasaan Williams and Bryce
Querubin. The combination of tenacious blocking and hard,
downhill running allowed the Patriots to amass a total of 268
rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Photo by Kenneth Lee
Delta Patriots starts East’s Zachary slate sacks the galt
Jr. Warriors QB in the Pats’ 35-7 opening day win.
The Starts East defense held the Jr. Warriors to just 21
yards of total offense and one touchdown. Max Alers anchored
the defense with two sacks and three solo tackles for
losses, while Jordan Stanley helped keep the Jr. Warrior offense
pinned in with a sack, and Zach Slate and Zyon Millington
each recovered fumbles in the win.
The Patriots Starts North team played the day’s most
fiercely competitive contest, winning its inaugural game 7-6
over the Silicon Valley Tigers.
The Tigers marched deep into Patriot territory in the first
quarter, but the Pats’ defense forced and recovered a fumble
to kill that drive and set the defensive tone for the rest of the
game. Moises Cortez led the defense with several tackles behind
the line of scrimmage, including multiple quarterback
sacks, and Ryan Wolter made an exceptional open-field tackle
to hold the Tigers scoreless in the first half.
Jairren Lillard scored the only Patriot touchdown, breaking
off a tough, 65-yard run to paydirt to give the Patriots a 7-
0 halftime advantage. The defense continued its stalwart play
throughout the second half, allowing the Patriots to run out
the clock.
JV Division
Patriots North 12, Tigers 7
The first-year Patriots JV North team started its inaugural
season with a win on Saturday. Both defenses were dominant
in the first half, and the two teams went into halftime
scoreless. However, second-half touchdowns by Marcus Zangai
and Clark Butler, as well as a key interception by Mark
Tays, propelled the team to its first win.
Starts
Patriots West 22, Cougars 19
Dante Lucido posted a 50-yard touchdown run and
Camron McLean followed suit with a 40-yard, fourth-down
scoring burst of his own as the Patriot Starts West downed the
Cougars. Blaine Bumbaka made a great catch on a 30-yard
touchdown strike for the winning score.
Rookies
Patriots West 13, Cougars 6
Fantastic blocking by linemen Michael Weisenberg,
Spencer Long, Jordan Suckow, Eddie Mason and Michael
Russomanno helped spring Alex Espinosa for a secondquarter,
game-tying touchdown run. Espinosa got right back
into the action in the third quarter, receiving the second-half
kickoff and following a tremendous lead block by Bryce Oliver
as he scampered in for what would prove to be the gamewinning
score.