Salesian senior quarterback Ronald Robertson put on a show in the Pride's quarterfinal date with eight-seed Stellar Prep on Saturday afternoon, accounting for six touchdowns to lead his team to the 57-34 victory and a spot in the North Coast Section Division 7 semifinals.
Robertson threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more, with both of his scores on the ground coming during a pivotal third quarter after the Thunder had rallied from a 22-point deficit to tie the game going into the half.
Salesian got off to a fast start, as Robertson hit Elijah Satcher for a touchdown pass and a quick 7-0 lead. After Stellar Prep cut the lead to one point, the Pride responded with 21 straight points, as Robertson connected for scores with Justin Gutierrez and Kareem Sullivan, and Sullivan added another touchdown on the ground for a 28-6 advantage in the second quarter.
Stellar Prep was not going away, however, as a Morgan Anderson touchdown run triggered a 22-point string to close out the first half, tying the game at 28.
As the third quarter, Robertson and Salesian took over. The senior signal-caller scored twice on the ground during the quarter, and after the Thunder closed the gap to 42-34, Robertson added a touchdown pass to Nick Fay and then ran in a two-point conversion to make it 50-34. Gutierrez added a fourth-quarter scoring run for the final points of the day.
Salesian advances to the semifinals, where the Pride will host four-seed St. Helena in a rematch from last year's playoffs.
Ferndale cruises past CSD
Ferndale quarterback Jenner Christiansen matched Robertson's big day as the Wildcats rolled past California School for the Deaf, 57-28. Like Robertson did for Salesian, Christiansen had four touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground, though he staked his team to a big halftime lead and cruised from there.
Christiansen connected three times for scores during the day with Javier Lopez, the second of which was a 10-yarder that gave Ferndale a 36-8 lead at the half. Nico Alejandre and Landon Gomes each added first-half touchdown runs during the win.
Gomes, Lopez and Tristen Martin all had interceptions on defense to help the Wildcats, who went unbeaten in the HDN-Little 4 this season, reach the section semifinals.
Ferndale will host three-seed Willits in the next round.
Willits pulls away from El Molino
Jacob Arms ran for three touchdowns and Willits pulled away from El Molino for the 41-7 win on Friday night in the quarterfinals.
Arms opened the game with a 60-yard touchdown run, but El Molino took its only lead of the night on its next possession, when Weston Lewis found Jackson Dunkle for a 14-yard touchdown pass and a 7-6 lead for the Lions.
The lead did not last long for El Mo, however, as an 80-yard run by Arms set up a five-yard touchdown run by Gabe McGinnis. Craig Stewart added a 23-yard scoring run and McGinnis scored again from 33 yards out as Willits took a commanding 28-7 lead at the half.
Arms added the only two scores of the second half, on rushes from 20 and two yards out.
Willits heads to Ferndale next Saturday.
Robledo too much for St. Vincent
For the second time this season, St. Helena sophomore Ivan Robledo topped the 300-yard mark on the ground, as the Saints rolled to a 44-22 win over St. Vincent de Paul. Click here to read the full game story by adult contributor Mike Baribault.
