San G's D stands up to Arroyo Valley
By Michelle Gardner | mgardner@scng.com | Daily Bulletin
SAN BERNARDINO – San Gorgonio got off to a quick start. Then, it was just the matter of holding on.
The Spartans barely did, beating Arroyo Valley 14-10 in San Andreas League action Friday.
San Gorgonio (3-4, 1-1) scored all its points in the first quarter and moved the ball at will. The Spartans rolled up 233 yards total offense while holding the Hawks (4-3, 1-1) to 79, including a minus-5 on the ground.
But the Hawks got back into the game early in the third, holding the Spartans on a fourth down, then marching 64 yards in just five plays with Demarcus White doing much of the work. He ran for 58 yards on four carries and the drive ended with Javon Williams' 15 yard pass to Steven Williams in the corner of the end zone, making it 14-7 and breathing some life into the Arroyo Valley sideline.
"I went in there at halftime and told them to come out there and meet the challenge and man up," Hawks coach Marcus Soward said. "I think the kids came out there a little too starry-eyed in the first half. I hope they learned they have to start quicker. If they do, they can play with anyone."
The Hawks tacked on a 28-yard field goal by Yael Jimenez their next possession to make it 14-10.
But the pivotal possession came later. The Hawks started at their own 48 and got to the Spartans 9 where faced a fourth-and-1 with 3:40 left.
The Hawks went for it but White was stopped for a 1-yard loss by the duo of Robert Balderama and Terrance McClendon.
The Hawks had the ball back one last time with 1:36 left but a pass by Javon Williams sailed past intended receiver Demarrio Brooks and into the hands of T.J. Smith, who also starts at quarterback for San G.
Spartans coach Randy Stevens was disappointed his team didn't put more points on the board in the first half but was impressed with the way the Hawks answered.
"They came out and ran the same plays. It seemed like they just ran with more heart and more effort," he said.
White finished with 141 yards on 24 carries and Javon Williams passed for 142.
Tre Meadors led the Spartans with 89 yards on 17 carries. Smith ran for 45, including 42 on a touchdown run that opened the scoring. McClendon, who also played both ways, ran for 46 including a 1-yarder for the Spartans second score.
Michelle Gardner | reporter
Michelle Gardner has covered high school sports and local colleges for the Daily Bulletin and Sun since 2002. She previously covered a wide variety of sports from the high school level to the professional ranks in Florida with tenures at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Naples Daily News and the Fort Myers News-Press and is graduate of the University of Florida.
mgardner@scng.com
Follow Michelle Gardner @MGardnerSports