It didn’t take long for St. Bernard’s to discover how well it could move the ball with junior Will Omey taking over at quarterback.
Omey hit Luke Fairfield for a 50-yard touchdown on the Crusaders’ first drive of the game on Saturday, added a five-yard rushing score just a few minutes later, and punctuated the end of the first quarter with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Lane Thrap, as St. Bernard’s rolled to a 40-14 season-opening win over El Molino.
The final score was not indicative of the dominance displayed by the Crusaders, who led 34-0 at the half, and hardly allowed El Molino’s offense to stay on the field. After Omey’s long strike to Fairfield to open the scoring, St. Bernard’s recovered an onside kick. After Omey’s rushing score, an interception gave the ball right back to the Crusaders’ offense, which then asserted itself through strong play up front.
Omey added another six-yard rushing score in the second quarter, giving him four touchdowns in less than 20 minutes, and Logan Simoni capped the first half with a touchdown pass to Sebastian Taylor.
“Our offensive line was the unit which was truly outstanding today,” said St. Bernard’s coach Matt Tomlin. “Will had a solid opening day at quarterback, and our defensive backs played great, not allowing any big plays.”
El Molino did get on the board during the third quarter, but Justin Hagler reached the end zone early in the fourth quarter for the Crusaders to provide the final points for the victors. The visiting Lions tacked on one final score with under three minutes to go in the game.
St. Bernard’s hosts McKinleyville next Saturday, while El Molino will look for better results at home against Sonoma Valley on Friday.
Offense carries Tamalpais past Saint Mary’s
Tamalpais exploded for 36 points in the second half on Saturday, as the Red-Tailed Hawks pulled away from Saint Mary’s-Albany for the 49-35 victory.
Senior Cooper Carroll was efficient at quarterback, completing 15 of 21 passes for 260 yards and two scores, but the heavy lifting was done by junior running back Crewe Hutson, who carried the ball 29 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Davion Black also demonstrated his explosiveness, with four carries for 76 yards and a score, while junior Ben Reade hauled in 10 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown.
Playing in his first game for the Hawks, Black made his impact felt all over the field. In addition to his offensive carries, he added a receiving touchdown, and had a big game at defensive back. The De Anza transfer who had to sit out last season added 10 tackles, an interception, and four pass break-ups in a big all-around performance. Sam Carlson was another defensive standout for Tam, notching 12 tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for a loss.
Tamalpais is off next week, before hosting San Lorenzo the following Saturday. Saint Mary’s looks to bounce back at home against Richmond next Saturday.
Redwood storms past Berkeley
Redwood scored the first 24 points of the game, and held Berkeley to just 81 yards of total offense, in a dominating 45-7 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Seniors Alex Aguero and Sam Warren were a devastating one-two punch for the Giants in the backfield, as Aguero ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns, while Warren added 152 yards and two scores on 13-of-25 passing. Cole Rehm intercepted two passes defensively, returning one for a score, as Redwood simply overwhelmed the Yellowjackets in all phases of the game.
The Giants head to Maria Carrillo this coming Friday, while Berkeley faces Alameda on Friday.
Around the horn
California-San Ramon methodically ground out a 24-7 win over Spanish Springs, in a game played at South Lake Tahoe. The Grizzlies scored all three touchdowns on the ground, while Khylie Weed added a field goal just before the half to make the score 10-0 at the break. Dan Desoto had California’s final score of the night.
St. Vincent de Paul shined defensively in an 18-0 win over McKinleyville, snapping a seven-game losing streak for the Mustangs and giving new coach Trent Herzog a victory in his debut. McKinleyville is still seeking its first win since September 9, 2016.
St. Helena opened the year on a strong note, downing Arcata 26-20. The Saints finished last year with four straight losses, but are expected to be one of the more improved teams in the NCL this fall.
