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Junipero Serra High School Alumni eNewsletter
Pat Lynch '59 is Back... Serra Wins Again!
The 2013 Cavs are 5-0 after notching their first win against the Narbonne Gauchos 36-13. The game was an Adoreé Jackson highlight reel with not one, not two but three of the patented A.J. flips over merely mortal tacklers. While Jackson stood out, the game was won because, for the fifth game in a row, the Serra defense stonewalled the Gauchos. If there's anything to wonder about, it's the Cavalier passing attack. From game to game, questions mount about the Cavalier's inability to find open receivers.
Back to the beginning:
The Cavs rolled up to 243rd Street with a chip on their shoulders. The Gauchos beat them fair-and-square in 2011 and 2012; but this time it was the Cavs, 35 places higher in the state rankings, who had more horsepower. But you never know.
The Gauchos got the first shot at offense, heading west into a sometimes strong breeze. They did not have an auspicious start. First and second downs were wasted with bad snaps in the shotgun formation. A 12-yard completion on third down briefly extended the possession. Twice the Cav defense stopped runners in the backfield. Then, on the seventh play of the game, another problem fielding the snap turned the ball over to Serra at the Narbonne 28.
Serra moved smartly for a TD in five plays: four runs, one pass.
The point after try was something out of Max Sennett. Serra 6 - Narbonne 0 with 7:49 left to play in the first quarter.
Serra's second kickoff went into the end zone, maybe for the first time this season. Three tackles for a loss offset a great 18-yard pass/catch at the 28, and the Gauchos had to punt. No chance at a return. Serra's ball at the Serra 42.
On the next play, Greene threw a short pass almost directly to the Gaucho's left side linebacker. Narbonne came alive and scored in seven plays. Their short passing game seemed almost automatic. The point after was perfect. Serra falls behind 6-7. 3:30 remaining in the first.
A great kickoff return with a 15-yard personal foul added set up the Cavs deep in Narbonne territory. Serra had a hiccup or two, but scored on the sixth play of the series, a bullet to Lasley after Greene danced away from tacklers for 32 bars. The point after was high, and straight down the pipe. Serra back on top 13-7 with 5 seconds remaining in period 1.
The angry Cavalier defense showed the Gauchos no mercy. Three and out at 10:30 in the second.
The Cavs sputtered on the next possession when, after making a first down at the Serra 40, Greene was sacked at the Serra 25. A nice pass run of fifteen yards wasn't enough to get out of that hole. Jackson got off a nice punt with 7:34 remaining.
At 7:36, the Gauchos threw a nice pass to Dwight Williams, who, unfortunately for them was wearing a Serra helmet. Williams advanced the ball to the Narbonne 12. Two motion penalties on one down and a hold nullified Serra's gains in that series. On fourth and 16, Coach Altenberg sent in Sifa Maama who kicked the ball high and deep into a noticeably stiff breeze for an improbable 32-yard field goal. Serra 16 - Narbonne 7 with 5:55 left in the half.
Narbonne started at its own 28 after a Cavalier-standard modified on sides kick. Five plays, one first down, a near miss hail mary, and they had to kick the ball back in Serra's direction. Adoreé Jackson caught the ball. He didn't go far but he did net a highlight reel acrobatic move: a spectacular jump and flip attempting to hurdle the Gaucho punt coverage. He wasn't through for this series.
The Cavs went two steps forward, two steps back. Six plays, one first down, one big sack, and it was fourth and 12 with 1:05 remaining in the half. Jackson went back to punt. Looking at the clock, the sticks, and the Gaucho rush, tucked the ball under his arm and circled out to his right, another -- this time successful -- jump over a Gaucho tackler at the 25, and a first down at the Narbonne five yard line. 58.7 seconds remaining.
Alas, on the next play, the Gauchos wrestled Greene's pass away from the intended receiver in the end zone. An interception on the books, but a good pass on the film. Narbonne takes over with 58.7 seconds.
The Cavalier defense was, again, air tight. Amazingly, with only 50 seconds in the half and the Gauchos in possession with two downs left to run, Altenberg stopped the clock to save time for one more series. And got it. But it was for naught. Time ran out. Serra 16 - Narbonne 7. Serra in charge, but the Narbonnions far from beaten.
The first exchange of the second half proved the point. Serra took the opening kickoff, lost 2 on first down, fumbled the ball out of bounds on second, and, on third, with Greene trying to buy time to pass, lost the ball again. Narbonne recovered at the Serra 32. 10:43 remaining in the third quarter. But wait...
Narbonne, aided by penalties, moves to the Serra one. The Stonewall Brigade was unfazed. First and goal: Narbonne's pitch sweep is gobbled up in the backfield. Loss of five. Second and goal: quarterback Eban Jackson is sacked at the Serra 15. Third and goal: Fade to flag. Adoreé Jackson leaps high, intercepts and, against all football common sense, he drops it in gear. He heads east with at least ten Gauchos in front of him. 102 yards later, Jackson, untouched along the way, scores Serra's 22nd point.
Point after good. Serra now 23 - 7, with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter.
Serra again kicks off high and short. The ball is fielded at about the Narbonne 25, but without calling for a fair catch. The runner is swarmed, there's a scrum, a cloud of dust, and when it settles, Serra has the ball at the 23. 7:18 remaining.
An unsportsman like called on Narbonne on a short Serra run advances the ball to the Narbonne 5. On the second play of the series, Jackson bursts up the middle for his second TD in 40 seconds. The point after try again misses miserably (problem with the hold?): Serra 29 - Narbonne 7.
Now a traditional kickoff fielded at the Narbonne 5 and a return to the 25. Narbonne moved to its own 43, again nettling the Cav defense with effective short passes, but they got no further. Punt to Serra with 4:07 remaining.
Serra moved the ball in nice chunks down to the Narbonne 30, but a holding penalty was enough to take the wind out of that drive.
A great punt pinned Narbonne at its own 5 with 1:05 remaining. The third quarter ended as the Gauchos began a 95-yard, 14 play, five-minute march to their second touchdown and 13th point. Their try to run the ball in for a two point conversion didn't come close. Serra 29 - Narbonne 13 with 9:35 in the game.
Serra took the kickoff out to the 35, then gave back 15 for alleged unsportsmanlike conduct. It was becoming a dangerously chippy game.
Whether the strategy was to keep the foot on the gas pedal or drain the clock, the result was the same. Serra mounted its own ten-play drive, running off four plus minutes off the clock, and scoring on a five-yard run with 4:05 remaining. Point after good. Serra 36 - Narbonne 13.
Narbonne three and out, Serra three and out, Narbonne three and intercepted on a desperation pass. Game over.
Another big win by a very respectable score, but something to worry about. Serra's running game seems to depend on the credibility of its passing game. And the passing game is becoming anemic. According to published stats, Greene went 7 for 13, but the more important statistic is unavailable. That would be the number of times Greene pulled the ball down and ran/scambled/escaped.
In sharp contrast to Narbonne, Serra receivers either were not getting open, not getting open quickly enough or Greene could not see them. Like Michael Vick, Greene's escapability is a huge asset -- maybe more important on average than Jackson's other-world athleticism. But Greene will have a hard time escaping if his attempts to pass are not taken seriously. On this Friday night, Greene had to (or decided to) pull the ball down and run often as he attempted to pass. From the stands, there no way to know for sure which runs were scripted, which were discretionary, and which were the result of a failed pass play. But in the end, the passing game was anemic. That could be a problem.
Serra has a bye next week, then it's Serra vs. Harvard Westlake at Harvard Westlake's beautiful but parking impaired home field. The Wolverines are 4-0 with wins against Loyola, North Hollywood, Granada Hills and Sylmar. They ran up the score on everyone but Loyola, but the ranking gurus put them ten places behind Narbonne and sixty places behind Serra.
Pat Lynch '59
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