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Dragons fall yard short in matinee at Terra Linda

Sonoma hosts nonconference San Marin Friday night

Playing their only Saturday afternoon game of the regular season, the Sonoma Valley High School varsity football boys hoped to make it two wins in a row to start the 2012 campaign after defeating Redwood in the opener the week before.

In a seesaw road battle against another Marin County team, senior Dustin Sloane caught two touchdown passes, but the Dragons fell a yard short of a go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds left Saturday and fell to Terra Linda, 29-24.

Sonoma jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter behind a converted 39-yard field goal by senior Brennan Cole, and a one-yard touchdown run by junior running back Cordell Kenniston.

But the Trojans fought back and took a 17-10 lead in the waning seconds of the second quarter.

The Dragons tied the game with two minutes to go in the third quarter when Sloane caught a 39-yard TD pass from junior quarterback Dan Deely.

Terra Linda re-took the lead at the 9:34 mark of the fourth quarter, but 50 seconds later, Sloane caught his second touchdown pass and the Dragons were again ahead 24-23.

But visiting Sonoma still couldn’t find a way to slow down the Trojans’ yard-eating inside ground attack, which put them back in front 29-24 with three-and-a-half minutes remaining.

The Dragons drove for a go-ahead touchdown and made it down to the Terra Linda one-yard line, when on a fourth down and a yard with 24 seconds left in the game, the Trojans stopped Deely short.

Pacing Sonoma’s offense were Deely’s nine pass completions on 18 attempts for 145 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions; Sloane’s five pass receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns; Cole’s six points with a field goal and three extra-point kicks; and the offensive running game accumulating 203 yards rushing, including Deely’s 96 yards on 13 carries, Kenniston’s 73 yards on 15 carries, and senior running back Justin McDonald’s 34 yards on 10 carries.

Defensively, Sonoma was led by senior defensive end Jonny Amandoli’s standout all-around game.

The loss drops the Dragons to a 1-1 non-conference record, and they will next host nonleague San Marin this Friday, Sept. 7, at Arnold Field, with the junior varsity starting at 5, and the varsity kicking off at 7:30 p.m.

 

Dragons of the Week

 

The Dragons of the Week in Sonoma’s 29-24 Saturday afternoon loss at Terra Linda were Trevor Severson, Jonny Amandoli and Brennan Cole.

Severson, a 6-foot, 260-pound senior offensive lineman, led the solid run-blocking scheme that helped produce 203 yards rushing.

Amandoli, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 200-pound senior defensive end, who constantly harassed and hurried the Terra Linda quarterback, made three unassisted tackles and assisted on numerous other tackles.

Cole, a 6-0, 180-pound senior placekicker, tallied six points by converting a 39-yard field goal and booting three extra-points.

The Dragons of the Week are sponsored by Eraldi’s Men’s Wear and Shoes, and Broadway Market.