SANTA ROSA, CA – Not only was rain pouring from the sky in Santa Rosa, but it was raining points produced by the Cardinal Newman offense and defense in a decisive 42-7 victory over Los Gatos in the state CIF Northern Regional Division 3-AA Bowl Game championship.
Host Cardinal Newman (13-1) fumbled away the game’s opening possession but the defense quickly got the ball back, and the Cardinals scored on their next four possessions to roll to victory in a game that was played in a steady downpour and gusting winds.
Newman quarterback Jackson Pavitt rushed for 77 yards and two TDs, and he only threw nine passes but completed six for 99 yards and one TD on a 21-yard pass to Giancarlo Woods, all in a first half that saw the Cardinals take a 35-0 lead.
Junior running back Shane Moran rushed for 142 yards and two TDs and senior linebacker Hunter Graniss had the other Newman score on a 44-yard interception return that closed out the first half scoring.
The Cardinal Newman defense held Los Gatos to 53 total yards in the first half and the visiting Wildcats only score came in a running clock fourth quarter when senior Mason Holbrook punched it in from five yards out against mostly defensive subs for the Cardinals.
“Our kids played focused from the from the first snap,” said Newman Coach Paul Cronin. “We are super proud of their effort and extremely excited about next week.”
After Cardinal Newman fumbled on the second play from scrimmage after getting the opening kickoff, Las Gatos junior running back Adam Garwood (11 carries, 40 yards rushing) exploded for 27-yards to the Newman 30 yard line on the Wildcats first play and it looked like Los Gatos might be in business. However from there they could only muster three yards in six plays and turned it over on downs.
From there Pavitt went to work and orchestrated a 73-yard, six-play drive that culminated in the 6-1, 190-pound Cardinals signal-caller scoring on a 1-yard keeper that gave Newman a 7-0 lead and the rout was on.
“Every single week we want to come out smacking with the highest energy on the field, and hopefully that sets the tone for the entire game, and tonight it did,” Pavitt said. “We definitely prepared for a struggle, and I’m not going to say that it wasn’t because they’re a great team and they had a great season, but tonight was our night.”
The Cardinals will now host El Camino-Oceanside next Saturday for the state CIF Division 3-AA Bowl Game championship. El Camino was a 34-18 winner over Temecula Valley-Temecula in the Southern Regional 3-AA championship.
It will be the third trip to a state CIF Bowl Game for Cardinal Newman and they’ll be looking for their first win. In 2008 they lost to St. Bonaventure-Ventura in the old Division III title game. In 2006, and in the first year the CIF re-established state championships for football, they gave Southern California powerhouse and heavily favored Oaks Christian-Westlake Village a scare before falling in the Division III championship, 27-20 in overtime.
