Rio Mesa Freshmen Improve to 7-1

Rio Mesa (6-1, 2-0 PVL)

at Oxnard (4-3, 1-1 PVL)

This game shaped up as our toughest game since the loss to St. Francis in Week #4 and it lived up to its billing!

The game was a very hard-hitting, defensive struggle that revolved around big plays and a crucial Special Teams play by the Spartans.

Tanner Wrout " Truckin' " His Way Towards the End Zone

Picking a Player-of-the-Game was VERY easy for once. Tanner had a truly memorable day as his simple statistics bear out:

131 yards rushing on 16 carries

1 for 1 passing for 15 yards

1 pass reception for 6 yards

5 tackles

1 fumble recovery that he returned 45 yards for a TD

1 interception that he returned 71 yards for the winning TD with 3 minutes left in the game

WOW!!! 

Wrout Can Block Too!

Here is a shot of Tanner at fullback exploding on the Yellowjacket's defensive end on a sweep run by Roderick White.

As good as Tanner's blocking was, Zach Saldana's blocking at fullback when Tanner went to tailback was just downright devastating!

Our offensive stats were down because of Oxnard's tenacious defense. We had 43 snaps that resulted in a modest Total Offense figure of 211 yards and 1 rushing TD by our QB Trenton Thornton. Turning the ball over three times was of great concern.

Defensive End Ben Dixon

Ben was in on 6 tackles including two for losses totaling -6 yards.

Our defense played well also, it HAD to on this overcast afternoon if we were to win and keep our PVL championship hopes alive. We held Oxnard to 42 plays, 208 yards and earned 4 turnovers in the game. Besides Tanner Wrout's two big turnovers, Darren Gales and Ben Quantock each had a fumble recovery.

#15 CB Roderick White on the Tackle

#52 MLB Nick Gutierrez, in hot pursuit here, had a very solid outing. His team high 11 tackles were supplemented by forcing two fumbles and recording a -9 yards QB Sack.

Defensive Swarm

Final Score

Rio Mesa 19 - Oxnard 14

It was a very hard fought, emotional win for us. We trailed much of the second half 13-14 until Wrout's electrifying 71 yards interception made the score

19-14.

Key to our victory was the ensuing kickoff by Alex Torres. We went with a cross field pooch kick and Alex hit it PERFECTLY! It took a crazy bounce near the sideline and Nathaniel Garay was able to recover it at the Oxnard 37 yard line. From there we were able to run out the clock aided by a key 4th and short run by Roderick White. The game ended with the Spartans at the Yellowjacket 3 yard line taking a knee on the last two snaps of the game rather than trying to score an unnecessary TD.

With the win, Rio Mesa improves to 7-1 overall and

3-0 in Pacific View League play while Oxnard drops to

4-4, 1-2 PVL.

Next up for the Spartans is a 4:00 p.m. PVL game at the home of the Hueneme Vikings (0-8, 0-3). We enter the week still tied for first place in the PVL with crosstown rival Camarillo who is also 7-1, 3-0 PVL. If we both take care of business this week, it would set up a very big final game of the season in two weeks at Rio Mesa.