PLEASANTON, CA - Coming off a victory at Freedom last week, the Amador Dons pulled off another key 31-14 victory against visiting Concord. They managed to pull away in the second half with tenacious defense, which allowed them a 2-0 start to the young season.
Junior linebacker Patrick Pipitone highlighted the superb Dons defense with an interception taken back for a touchdown to give Amador a 24-8 lead with 11:00 left in the game. This came one play after Amador fumbled at the Concord 30 yard-line, giving the Minutemen lots of hope—which Pipitone quickly dashed with his interception.
“We’re a second-half team,” said Amador Valley running back Michael White. “We don’t quit and that has been a huge help for us. As you can see from the games we’ve won the second half and that’s just who we are.”
Although Concord struggled in the second half, it gave Amador a run for its money in the first half taking an 8-7 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by junior running back Malik Blackburn.
Concord quarterback Mitchell Daniels’ final statistics don’t accurately indicate his solid performance. He completed 27-of-43 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and an interception but was victimized by several dropped balls, which slowed down the up-tempo offense in which Daniels excels.
Wide receiver Ronnie Algood led the Minutemen receiving core with 95 yards on 13 receptions and became the main source of offense besides Mitchell Daniels.
White made his mark in the first half for coach Rick Sira’s Dons. White had 59 yards on eight carries on offense while also accounting for one sack on defense. His touchdown came on a 40-yard run where he broke multiple tackles and scampered into the end zone to give the Dons a 7-0 lead. The second half didn’t turn out as expected for White, as he finished with five yards on one carry after halftime.
“I don’t feel I was doing very good in the second half,” White said on his second half performance. “I started cramping up but our o-line blocked really well in the first half and the second half we were just able to turn it on and finish off well.”
White has been an integral piece to the Dons’ offensive success this season, accounting for 251 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. In their 35-28 victory over Freedom last week, he accumulated 188 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. His speed and strength have been key in his sensational start to his senior campaign.
The Dons’ two-quarterback system, featuring sophomore Ronnie Jones and junior Zeke Burgermeister wasn't quite as effective on Friday as in the previous game. Jones completed 7-of-9 passes for 83 yards and also had a rushing touchdown while Burgermeister completed 5-of-11 passes for 46 yards with an interception.
Neither offense shined against the opposing defense. Amador Valley, which is a run-first team, struggled in the ground game, wrapping up just 159 yards. Concord’s run offense had similarly poor success, ending the Friday night with 28 yards on 22 carries as a team.
Concord hasn’t lived up to expectations with its 0-2 start to the season. The team was projected to start out the season at least 1-1 but fourth quarters have plagued their performances this season. Both of this season’s games have been neck-and-neck in the first three quarters but the team has been worn down by its opponents wear towards the end of games.
Amador Valley has exceeded everyone’s expectations so far this season. Embracing the underdog role is nothing new to the school and it gives them the extra motivation to succeed. Their underdog status motivates them to surpass everyone’s projections for them and they manage to finish as one of the top teams year in and year out in Northern California’s toughest league.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been picked to do well,” said White. “We always know we’re underdogs and we always have that spirit. It just gives us a lot of confidence to know that teams are sleeping on us but it’s great to come out here and just get a win and show who we are.”
