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Bulldogs need fourth quarter to defeat Warriors

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

For the third consecutive year, Ramona High School's football team defeated the Bulldogs' Fallbrook counterparts, but this time the Warriors required Ramona to score a fourth-quarter touchdown and subsequently stop the Warriors on fourth down to win the Sept. 17 game which was also the Valley League opener for both teams.

"Just extremely proud of our kids and the toughness they showed and the resiliency. I couldn't be more proud of our guys," said Fallbrook High Head Coach Troy Everhart.

Everhart became Fallbrook's coach in 2019, and that year the Warriors trailed 45-0 at halftime and didn't score until the final 30 seconds of the 48-8 game. The 2020-21 game ended as a 45-6 Ramona triumph and the Bulldogs held a 42-0 halftime lead.

Not only did Fallbrook score in the first half Sept. 17, but the Warriors had a 21-14 halftime lead. The score was 21-21 after three quarters and the final score was 28-21 in the Bulldogs' favor.

"It ended up being a fight," Everhart said. "It was quite a slugfest."

The Bulldogs took a 14-0 lead during the first quarter on a 15-yard run by senior running back Cash Jones and a 40-yard run by senior quarterback Devin Sobczak with sophomore Kyle Patenaude kicking both extra points.

"They're just a solid football team," Everhart said. "We didn't properly adjust."

Fallbrook scored the next 21 points. "We rolled up our sleeves. The kids have bought into what we're doing," Everhart said.

In the first quarter, senior Josh McBroom passed to senior Charlie Stallings for a 35-yard touchdown, and McBroom then kicked the extra point. Second-quarter touchdown runs of one yard and three yards by sophomore Chris Bausch along with McBroom conversion kicks gave the Warriors a 21-14 halftime lead.

"We were making mistakes," Jones said.

Ramona committed two first-half turnovers to give Fallbrook an interception by junior Caleb Quintero and a fumble recovery by sophomore Matt Wilson. "We had two very short fields," Everhart said.

Fallbrook sophomore Marquise Washington gained 122 yards on 16 carries. "He had good runs," Everhart said.

Washington didn't score any touchdowns, but his rushing put the Warriors into position for the touchdown pass to Stallings. "That was set up by some run action," Everhart said.

Everhart tends not to utilize Washington for short yardage situations. "He's more of a perimeter guy," Everhart said.

Ramona scored all 14 points in the second half.

The third quarter also included a nine-play Fallbrook possession in which the Warriors were unable to score.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were 15 yards from the end zone and faced fourth down. Ramona head coach Damon Baldwin called time out and then called a screen play.

"They deserved it," Everhart said of Ramona's winning touchdown. "In the course of 60 snaps they get you one time. Good for them."

Patenaude kicked the extra point to give the Bulldogs a seven-point advantage.

Sobczak is also Ramona's punter, and with about four minutes left he placed the ball on the Fallbrook 4-yard-line.

During Fallbrook's final possession Washington brought the ball past midfield. "It was a hell of a run," Everhart said. "I thought we were in good shape."

The Warriors were able to advance the ball to the Ramona 41 before failing to convert a fourth down with about two minutes left.

"The second half they did a nice job keeping the ball away from us," Everhart said.

"We had a good team playing against them defensively," Everhart said. "They did a nice job creating some gaps."

In 2019, Fallbrook and Ramona entered the game against each other with identical 0-7 records. The teams both took 2-2 records into the Sept. 17 game, so the win gave Ramona a 3-2 overall record and a 1-0 Valley League mark while Fallbrook is now 2-3 overall and 0-1 in Valley League play.

"I don't think there's much difference between us and them anymore," Everhart said. "We've closed the gap."

"Damon's doing a nice job with what he's got," Everhart said.

The 2020-21 season consisted of league games only and no playoffs. Ramona won all five games and thus the Valley League championship.

"I like to play good teams and find out what the kids have," Everhart said.

Everhart was pleased with what the Fallbrook players had against Ramona. "The kids are tough," he said. "I've never been more proud."

Fallbrook's season began Aug. 20 with a 48-7 home loss to University City. The Warriors' Aug. 27 home game was a 28-6 defeat against Santa Fe Christian. Fallbrook traveled to San Ysidro for a Sept. 3 game which ended as a 35-14 Warriors win. The Sept. 10 home game against Classical Academy was a 37-0 Fallbrook triumph.

"Since Week 2 we've just been outstanding," Everhart said.

The Warriors have a non-league game tomorrow at Brawley and will have a bye Oct. 1.

"My concern is making the team better each week," Everhart said. "There's a lot of football ahead of us and we've got to get better."

 

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