Ground and pound
Oct 03, 2009 | 1126 views | 4 
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Patterson runners steal the show in win over Downey
MODESTO — It really didn’t matter who ran the ball for the Patterson High football team against Downey of Modesto on Friday, Oct. 2 — they just kept piling up the yards.
Efrim Jones, Nathan Shelton and quarterback Cody Weinzheimer combined for 404 yards rushing and seven touchdowns as the Tigers posted their best offensive output of the season in a 72-43 win over the Knights at Chuck Hughes Stadium.
Jones carried 13 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns, while Weinzheimer added 161 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries and the Tigers (2-2) snapped a two-game skid.
Shelton had 12 carries for 82 yards, including a 2-yard, first-quarter touchdown run, before leaving the game with a leg injury late in the second quarter.
“This team was hungry for a win,” Patterson coach Rob Cozart said. “We’ve known all along that we’re a better team (than we’ve shown), and we came out tonight to prove a point.”
The Knights (1-3), meanwhile, allowed 70-plus points for the second consecutive week.
Downey quarterback Jason Lee hung astronomical numbers on the Tigers’ defense — 25 of 34 for 425 yards and six touchdowns — but there was just no stopping Patterson.
Shelton’s 2-yard score and a 17-yard hook-up from Weinzheimer to receiver Wyatt Young made it 14-0 with 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter. After Downey cut it to 14-7 on Lee’s 17-yard touchdown strike to Javon Kelly, however, Weinzheimer reignited the Patterson faithful with a 78-yard touchdown scamper up the right sideline.
“We wanted to come out and get this win collectively,” Jones said.
Lee, who tossed a school-record 488 yards in a 77-35 loss to Pitman of Turlock last week, did about as much as he could to keep the Knights’ in the game.
Downey’s senior quarterback passed for 385 yards and five touchdowns through the first three quarters alone. His two favorite targets — receivers Kelly and Corey Keller — hauled in 10 catches for 188 yards and four touchdowns and 13 catches for 228 yards and two scores, respectively.
Weinzheimer’s numbers were nothing to scoff at, either.
Patterson’s junior quarterback added 117 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air.
“We came out really focused,” Jones said. “No one on this team wanted to leave (Modesto) with another loss.”
Cozart said he doesn’t want his team to get caught up in what others think, say or write. But he did comment on the fact that the Tigers have been picked by some area newspapers to lose their last three games.
“I’ve labeled this team a dark horse,” Cozart said. “We have a horse painted black hung up above our (locker room) door.
“People are going to probably pick us to lose all year long. That’s fine. Our kids accept that fact and relish it. We came out tonight hungry and a little angry because of the disrespect we’re getting.”
Jones doesn’t mind being the underdog, however.
“Some people are out there thinking that we are a cupcake team,” Jones said. “Let those guys in (the newspaper business) do their thing. We still have to play football. If we’re going to be an underdog, fine. After the game, we’ll talk about it then.”
Junior varsity
Expectations are different for the JV Tigers this season. That was plain on Friday night, when the Tigers weren’t happy with a 21-15 victory over Downey.
Patterson (4-0) scored in a variety of ways in the first half, from offense to special teams, producing a number of big plays.
Despite all that, smiles were a rarity after the game for those in crimson, gray and white.
“We take a lot of pride in being disciplined out there (on the field),” Patterson coach Steve Cardoso said. “Today we played a poor second half and kept (Downey) in the game.”
Patterson also committed too many penalties, according to Cardoso.
“We didn’t execute as well as we would have liked to tonight,” Cardoso said. “Regardless, we came out with a win. That’s always a good boost for us.”
Patterson back George Garcia got the Tigers going with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Robert Marroquin added an 81-yard punt return for a score in the second. And Frankie Sanchez stepped infront of teammate Kendrick Trotter to snare a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Todd, putting the Tigers up 21-6 at halftime.
Cardoso praised the recent work of the Tigers, but he encouraged his players to cultivate a personal sense of dissatisfaction.
Complacency kills, in other words.
“The games behind us (on the schedule) aren’t nearly as important as the games we haven’t played,” Cardoso said. “We’ll work on some things at practice, and come out ready to play a good Modesto team next week.”
Freshman
Despite a 20-6 loss to Downey, Patterson freshman football coach David Guzman said the team gained a great deal from the game.
“Our improvement has been huge from Week 1 to Week 4,” Guzman said. “We aren’t talking about wins and losses. We’re talking about day-in and day-out improvement over the course of the season.”
Guzman called Friday’s tilt “the team’s best game so far this season.”
“We’re really close,” he added. “We just have to continue to work on our execution.”
Patterson fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter, before answering in the third. Quarterback Joey Lopes used a big push from his offensive line to punch in a 1-yard touchdown. The Tigers missed the extra point, however, and trailed 7-6.
But Downey pieced together two fourth-quarter scoring drives — the backbreaker coming on a 72-yard run through the teeth of Patterson’s defense.
The Tigers (0-4) appeared to run out of gas late and sputtered to the finish.
“These kids are working their hearts out,” Guzman said. “I’m proud of the effort they put forth today.
“This team will be all right.”
• Contact Marc Aceves at 892-6187 or marc@pattersonirrigator.com.
MODESTO — It really didn’t matter who ran the ball for the Patterson High football team against Downey of Modesto on Friday, Oct. 2 — they just kept piling up the yards.
Efrim Jones, Nathan Shelton and quarterback Cody Weinzheimer combined for 404 yards rushing and seven touchdowns as the Tigers posted their best offensive output of the season in a 72-43 win over the Knights at Chuck Hughes Stadium.
Jones carried 13 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns, while Weinzheimer added 161 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries and the Tigers (2-2) snapped a two-game skid.
Shelton had 12 carries for 82 yards, including a 2-yard, first-quarter touchdown run, before leaving the game with a leg injury late in the second quarter.
“This team was hungry for a win,” Patterson coach Rob Cozart said. “We’ve known all along that we’re a better team (than we’ve shown), and we came out tonight to prove a point.”
The Knights (1-3), meanwhile, allowed 70-plus points for the second consecutive week.
Downey quarterback Jason Lee hung astronomical numbers on the Tigers’ defense — 25 of 34 for 425 yards and six touchdowns — but there was just no stopping Patterson.
Shelton’s 2-yard score and a 17-yard hook-up from Weinzheimer to receiver Wyatt Young made it 14-0 with 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter. After Downey cut it to 14-7 on Lee’s 17-yard touchdown strike to Javon Kelly, however, Weinzheimer reignited the Patterson faithful with a 78-yard touchdown scamper up the right sideline.
“We wanted to come out and get this win collectively,” Jones said.
Lee, who tossed a school-record 488 yards in a 77-35 loss to Pitman of Turlock last week, did about as much as he could to keep the Knights’ in the game.
Downey’s senior quarterback passed for 385 yards and five touchdowns through the first three quarters alone. His two favorite targets — receivers Kelly and Corey Keller — hauled in 10 catches for 188 yards and four touchdowns and 13 catches for 228 yards and two scores, respectively.
Weinzheimer’s numbers were nothing to scoff at, either.
Patterson’s junior quarterback added 117 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air.
“We came out really focused,” Jones said. “No one on this team wanted to leave (Modesto) with another loss.”
Cozart said he doesn’t want his team to get caught up in what others think, say or write. But he did comment on the fact that the Tigers have been picked by some area newspapers to lose their last three games.
“I’ve labeled this team a dark horse,” Cozart said. “We have a horse painted black hung up above our (locker room) door.
“People are going to probably pick us to lose all year long. That’s fine. Our kids accept that fact and relish it. We came out tonight hungry and a little angry because of the disrespect we’re getting.”
Jones doesn’t mind being the underdog, however.
“Some people are out there thinking that we are a cupcake team,” Jones said. “Let those guys in (the newspaper business) do their thing. We still have to play football. If we’re going to be an underdog, fine. After the game, we’ll talk about it then.”
Junior varsity
Expectations are different for the JV Tigers this season. That was plain on Friday night, when the Tigers weren’t happy with a 21-15 victory over Downey.
Patterson (4-0) scored in a variety of ways in the first half, from offense to special teams, producing a number of big plays.
Despite all that, smiles were a rarity after the game for those in crimson, gray and white.
“We take a lot of pride in being disciplined out there (on the field),” Patterson coach Steve Cardoso said. “Today we played a poor second half and kept (Downey) in the game.”
Patterson also committed too many penalties, according to Cardoso.
“We didn’t execute as well as we would have liked to tonight,” Cardoso said. “Regardless, we came out with a win. That’s always a good boost for us.”
Patterson back George Garcia got the Tigers going with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Robert Marroquin added an 81-yard punt return for a score in the second. And Frankie Sanchez stepped infront of teammate Kendrick Trotter to snare a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Todd, putting the Tigers up 21-6 at halftime.
Cardoso praised the recent work of the Tigers, but he encouraged his players to cultivate a personal sense of dissatisfaction.
Complacency kills, in other words.
“The games behind us (on the schedule) aren’t nearly as important as the games we haven’t played,” Cardoso said. “We’ll work on some things at practice, and come out ready to play a good Modesto team next week.”
Freshman
Despite a 20-6 loss to Downey, Patterson freshman football coach David Guzman said the team gained a great deal from the game.
“Our improvement has been huge from Week 1 to Week 4,” Guzman said. “We aren’t talking about wins and losses. We’re talking about day-in and day-out improvement over the course of the season.”
Guzman called Friday’s tilt “the team’s best game so far this season.”
“We’re really close,” he added. “We just have to continue to work on our execution.”
Patterson fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter, before answering in the third. Quarterback Joey Lopes used a big push from his offensive line to punch in a 1-yard touchdown. The Tigers missed the extra point, however, and trailed 7-6.
But Downey pieced together two fourth-quarter scoring drives — the backbreaker coming on a 72-yard run through the teeth of Patterson’s defense.
The Tigers (0-4) appeared to run out of gas late and sputtered to the finish.
“These kids are working their hearts out,” Guzman said. “I’m proud of the effort they put forth today.
“This team will be all right.”
• Contact Marc Aceves at 892-6187 or marc@pattersonirrigator.com.
post a comment
comments (4)
« raider14 wrote on Monday, Oct 05 at 02:56 PM »
Dont get to Happy about that 400 yards and 72 points. Central Catholic is NOT Downey. Remember that.
« raider20 wrote on Monday, Oct 05 at 02:53 PM »
Last time I checked the high school doesnt play by youth football rules get over yourself. The high school isn NOT the Redskins or Ravens.
« TIGERS12 wrote on Monday, Oct 05 at 10:07 AM »
WHy with the score so high did some Varsity players only get 2-3 plays....little selfish on the coaching staff sont ya think???
« FantasyFootball56 wrote on Saturday, Oct 03 at 08:41 AM »
I think the refs were trying to keep Downey in this game by the massive penalty calls. It was getting to the point were the Patterson fans almost expected a flag to go out before the play started. I think the Tigers did very good executing out on the field. If they keep up this pace they will give hilmar and Central losses. There was a lot of heart that i could see in the Tiger's. It is kind of funny how the Modesto bee didn't report the amount of penalties which probably exceeded Lee's passing yards. With that said Patterson still wins with the overpower of refs on Downey's side.
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