|
Junipero Serra High School Alumni eNewsletter
Cavs poisoned at half time?
They went into the locker at half the team they were supposed to be: athletic, experienced, intimidating. Something happened in the next twelve minutes. A mickey in their Gatorade? An out-of-date probiotic? They came back on the field for the 2
nd half a Pop Warner team: unsure, inconsistent, sloppy.
The Serra faithful went from a quiet, easy-going maybe a bit cocky audience to a fretful cheering section. A lot of nails got chewed in the last five minutes.
Back to the beginning. Serra kicked off to start the game.. It landed in no man's land, the Arizona front line leaving it to the deep receivers, the deep receivers waiting for a good bounce. Serra fielded the neglected ball and got an extra offensive series.
Jalen Greene dropped back from the Desert Ridge 29 on the first play of the 2013 season, threw five yards down field to all-nation Adoreé Jackson, and Jackson took off up an empty middle of the field for an apparent touchdown. Alas, Jackson strutted the last fifteen yards.
The zebras noticed and called unsportsmanlike conduct which (according to them) began at the three. TD called back, Serra first and ten at the eighteen.
Two unimpressive running plays, then Greene's second pass of the season, to Gregory Webb in the end zone. TD reinstated at 10:28 in the first. PAT good. Serra 7- Desert Ridge 0, and now a look at the Jaguars...
The Jags lost their quarterback of a blown knee over the summer and became a Woody Hayes make over, three yards and a turf burn offence. The Cav defense, which may have given up a little weight to the Arizonans, took a couple of plays to get organized, but stopped Desert Ridge after seven plays, one first down and a total of about eighteen yards.
Serra returned the first punt of the game to the Arizona 29. Two incomplete passes and two short runs, and the Jags had the ball again. They got three downs, including a sack. The Cav defense looked in complete charge on a hot, Arizona-like day.
Serra's third series started on Serra's side of the field at the 46. One run, then a replay of the first play of the game. Greene to Jackson about five yards deep over the middle. No one near him and a lane thirty yards wide down the middle. Jackson went fifty yards untouched, careful to bend his knees this time. Serra 14-0 with 3:45 left to play in the first.
Desert Ridge started again at its own thirty. Four solid grind-it-out runs and two first downs later, the Jags went to the air. Mistake. Serra's Glen Ihenacho pulled down an overthrown pass and returned it to the Serra 46. 51 seconds remaining in the first.
According to Scott Altenberg, the Cavaliers' play fell off from that moment. Not so clear from the stands. Serra ran three times for reasonable gains, then Greene reared back and threw a perfect pass to Jordan Lasley, thirty yards away, cutting at full speed for the left corner of the end zone. The PAT wobbled over the bar, and Serra was ahead 21-0 and people were predicting that Altenberg would be clearing the bench early in the second half.
Desert Ridge didn't appear to have much hope , but they didn't quit. Their next possession went eight good running plays including a gutty fourth down drive to retain possession, but in the end the Cavs held. The punt, off the side of the kicker's foot went out of bounds only about fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage at the Serra 40. Then a ray of hope for the outclassed Jags. Serra lost the ball in a scrum up the middle, the Jags recovered and returned the ball to the Serra 35. In hindsight, you could say this was a portent of bad things to come. Five minutes left in the half.
DR sweep for nine, sweep the other way for five, belly for three, another run up the middle for five, dive right over center. Desert Ridge first and goal at the six. Now comes what should have been a highlight film goal line stand.
The Jags dive over right guard for about forty inches. A sprint sweep, hit in the backfield but the runner stays up for two yards. Third at the three. Full backfield drives at the Cavalier center, stopped at the line of scrimmage. Fourth and goal. Dive to the one stopped short. Serra takes over on downs! Euphoria. 1:11 left in the half.
Serra lines up, the ball is snapped, confusion, zebra's arms go up. No it's now a safety, it's a Desert Ridge touchdown. Serra fumbled and Arizona recovered. PAT blocked on a perfect rush by Jackson. Unfortunate, but what about that defensive stand, what about that block. No problems in Mudville.
And it got better. Only a minute to play when Desert Ridge kicked to Serra. Starting at the thirty five, Greene was forced to run. First down at the Serra 47. Forty one seconds. Pass to Jackson carried out of bounds at the Jaguar 33. Thirty seconds. Greene forced out of the pocket, circles to his left, rainbow to Adoreé Jackson who gets a foot down speeding out of the end zone. Eighteen seconds remaining. PAT good 28-6.
The mystery is what happened in the next twelve minutes. Someone handed out Kryptonite bars during the break.
Desert Ridge kicked to Serra. Seven plays, all runs, had Greene injured his throwing arm? Serra still didn't punt. The snap was way high. Good hosts, Serra set the visitors up first and ten at Serra's twenty.
Again a wonderful defensive stand. Three plays gained the Desertboys five. Field goal was good. Desert Ridge draws first blood in the second half. 28-9.
Kickoff. Three plays starting from Serra's fifteen, gain nine. Again snap on the punt to high, but a heroic recovery at kick at least got the ball out to the fifty. 3:39 remaining in the third. No sweat, these guys haven't moved the ball on their own yet.
Overcoming two penalties, Desert Ridge held the ball for the remainder of the third quarter. They stood second and goal at the Serra eight as the fourth quarter began. One play and five seconds later, the Jags scored their first unassisted (or largely unassisted) TD. PAT good, 28-16 with 11:55 left on the clock in a suddenly cool and comfortable San Diego afternoon.
Keep the Tums and Digitalis handy. It's about to get ugly.
Desert Ridge kicks off, the Serra front line leaves the ball to the burners in the back line, and they wait for a good bounce. Where have we seen this before? Desert Ridge recovers a non-on-sides kick at the Serra 16. That eleven minutes seems a long way off now.
Again the Serra defense plays tough. Student body left good for two to the fourteen. Sweep right, tooth loosening tackle. Dead ball personal foul against the Jags. Ball moved back to the Serra 29. Lookin' good. Serra lets down a little and the Jags get all fifteen back on the next play. But stops the blackcats cold on third down. Fourth and goal at the sixteen, the Jags are more or less forced to pass. A geriatric duck wobbles toward the south goal line, but who can believe it, E.J. McLanahan stretches out and makes an almost unbelievable catch at the one. First and goal with 8:00 minutes remaining.
On the next play, Desert Ridge fumbles. Serra has its hands on the ball, but everyone wants to be on Sports Center. Trying to pick it up and advance, the ball squirts away and Desert Ridge has another chance. Dive for no gain, Jags squeeze to the Serra two. Fourth and goal. Serra encroaches. Half the distance. The Jags lose the ball a second time, but they recover in the end zone. PAT misses 28-22 and all of 6:46 remaining.
Fingernails in the stands getting a chewing, Serra safely fields Arizona's pouch kick at its own 42. Short run of three, then a brilliant twisting, tackle breaking, injury risking run by Adoreé Jackson gives Serra a first. The wheels are coming off: bad snap, Greene manages to get five, confusion in the backfield: loss of three, short run. Fourth and five. Greene drops back to pass, doesn't see an apparently open receiver, tries to do it with his feet. No. It's Arizona's ball at their own 37 with four minutes left.
Serra holds after Arizona flagged for holding. Serra gets another chance to run out the clock. Starting at the fifty, Serra gains four, loses four, gains four, and punts with a minute twelve left. Thus ends a half in which Serra's total offense amounted to twenty-four scoreless yards.
Arizona starts at its own twenty four, but the hex finally runs its course. Six game plays later, the Cav faithful hopefully remember to say a prayer of thanks in the end.
September 6th see you at Oceanside!
| 
