‘Mismatch’ shows in 66-14 score, but indefatigable Dragons press on

The first thing you think about a 66-14 score is, where did those 66 points come from? That’s a lot of scoring – as many as nine touchdowns and a field goal. Where did the other team find time for two scoring drives?

“It is just a mismatch of a Division 1 school playing our small Division 5 school in a league game,” fumed Coach Clay Jackson said following the game. “Makes no sense. Makes no sense for us. Makes no sense for them. And the percentages of players getting hurt go way up.”

Fortunately no one was hurt, and nonetheless the Dragons kept going out there and competing, making the tackles, grabbing a couple interceptions and fumbles, and gaining 139 offensive yards – most of it in the air, as their ground game picked up only 14.

Quarterback Trent Ohman’s sophomore arm got a workout as he threw almost 30 times, completing 15 of 29 but getting picked off twice. His favorite target was again senior Tate Baker, who is getting dangerous at the catch-and-run. Baker pulled in nine catches for 94 yards, followed by three for 17 for Rollo Benstead.

The Dragons picked up their touchdowns in unusual fashion: a first-quarter kickoff return by senior Joey Fiorito for 96 yards and a score – the first for SVHS in over 15 years, according to Jackson; and a 32-yard “scoop and score” fumble return by Spencer Jacobs.

Meanwhile the bigger Vintage team did their best to live up to their name, crushing out 404 yards on the ground. Seven different players had double-digit rushing yards, including a kickoff return for 86 yards, followed by TD runs of 63, 40, 33, 26, 22 and a relatively short 8 yards.

Vintage senior quarterback Traytan Bradley threw only six times – two were complete, and two intercepted, one each by Beau Jurasek and Junior Meza. Dragon senior Miguel Molina led with four tackles, three of them solos. “They did everything they could to try to stay in the game,” said the coach in praise of special teams and defensive players.

He was less satisfied with the offensive effort. “We just shot ourselves in the foot all night,” Jackson told the IT. “We had 10 dropped passes and four bad snaps, that is not winning football.” They also gave up eight sacks, and Ohman was on the run all night whether he wanted to be or not.

Ohman “only threw three bad balls all night,” said Jackson in his quarterback’s defense. “People have to understand this a sophomore QB throwing against Division I and II schools and holding his own.”

Sonoma Valley has a chance to meet a fellow Division 5 school on Friday night, at Highlands High north of Sacramento. It will be a long drive, but hopefully worth it for the 0-8 Dragons to play the 1-8 Scots. The Dragons’ final game of the season will be Friday, Nov. 5 at Napa High School.

“Highlands and Napa should be competitive and winnable games,” said Coach Jackson.