Mounties Fall to Saddleback
Coach Jastrab optimistic about upcoming divisional games despite loss
by Ariel Carmona Jr.
Despite playing with more intensity than on their previous outing on the road, in front of their home crowd Saturday costly penalties and turnovers netted the same result for Mt. SAC: A loss, this time to the Saddleback Gauchos 31-28, who dropped the Mounties to a 2-3 record on the season.
Things started out well for Mt. SAC as a touchdown grab down the right corner of the end zone by Sophomore wide receiver Marc Ison from quarterback Brian Hildebrand put them ahead in the first quarter 7-3, and got better a series later as lanky receiver Travis Lee who is often utilized to run back punts sprinted for a 96-yard kick return, after a devastating block sprung him free, pumping up the crowd and giving Mt. SAC a 14-3 edge with 10:14 left in the first half of play.
Saddleback heard some intense taunting from the Mounties’ sideline as they awaited the ensuing kickoff. The Gauchos kept handing off to their tailback Daniel Dixon. Dixon lead Saddleback with a 5.1 average going into the game and finished with 26 yards and two scores. When that wasn’t netting positive yards, their quarterback was scrambling ahead with the football. He wasn’t having as much success as his first few drives of the game as Ronnie Faavae, and Tracy Mimms and other members of Mt. SAC’s defense corralled his runs down the sidelines.
Following a Mt. SAC fumble, the Gauchos recovered the football deep in Mt. SAC’s territory and made them pay for their mistake by sending Dixon up the middle for a 6-yard scoring run which cut the Mounties’ lead to 14-9. Mt. SAC’s defense did manage to stop Dixon on the 2 point conversion.
Following a short kick, Saddleback had good field position. A few plays later Running back P.T. Gates scored another touchdown on the ground for the Gauchos. This time, they also converted the two point try to take a 17-14 lead. Most of the damage was done up the middle of the field and the coaches were visibly upset verbally admonishing the defense on the Mounties’ bench. “You guys let them score, damn it,” they said. After hooking a field goal with 1 second remaining in the half, the score remained in favor of visiting Saddleback 17-14.
A barrage of turnovers and penalties plagued the Mounties, a false start call, an illegal formation, the flags just kept on falling. Perhaps the most dear turnover occurred when Saddleback’s Alsid Panteau intercepted a pass to stop another Mountie drive with over 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Following a dispute over an apparent forced fumble by the Mounties, the Gauchos went on to score on a perfect 8-yard strike down the middle of the endzone to wide receiver Matt White to jump on the Mounties by 24-14 late in the third quarter.
“It was the penalties and turnovers that killed us,” said Head Coach Robert Jastrab, “If you have that many turnovers more often than not you’re going to get beat. We just have to do a better job of minimizing the turnovers. The team does have a lot of character, they are working hard.” Jastrab says the Mounties are approaching their upcoming divisional games like it’s the beginning of a new season. “I think the guys see that we could easily be 5-0. if we minimize our mistakes. The kids realize what they have to do. This team will fight to the end, we’ve had some great practices.”
After falling behind 31-14 following another fumble, the Mounties battled back as wide receiver Michael Howard grabbed a touchdown score from backup quarterback Dominic Breazeale late in the game to culminate a lengthy drive and cut the Saddleback lead to 31-21. Mt. SAC had one last moment of offensive brilliance as Marc Ison’s 73-yard catch and run cut the deficit to 31-28 and got the crowd back into it. It was a case of too little too late, as the Mounties fizzled in the final quarter as another penalty, this one on Moe Vasquez got him ejected, (though he could clearly be heard barking to the officials that the other team grabbed his facemask) and brought the Gouchos closer to a clinching field goal. In the end, they ran out the clock and dropped Mt.SAC to another non conference defeat.