Almaden Resident

Sports

Chargers win 41-13, but it wasn't easy

By Eli Segall

The scoreboard showed the facts: One big number, one small number. The game itself, though, told a different story.

Leland grabbed a 41-13 victory from Del Mar on Oct. 20, yet the Dons turned out a strong performance for its home field fans. Quarterback Tony Cukar completed 15 passes for 180 yards, junior D.J. Linares ran the ball for 76 yards and junior Stephen Salerno gained 158 all-purpose yards on the day.

However, Del Mar was simply outgunned. The Chargers racked up 367 total yards and scored on seven of its 10 possessions.

"Our kids fought until the end, but Leland's a veteran ballclub. They don't make mistakes," said Del Mar coach Eric Buran.

Leland's record improved to 5-2, and Del Mar now stands at 0-7.

"We learn something from each game every week," said Leland coach Jason Tenner. "Today our kids learned that another team's record doesn't mean anything, and that you've got to play all four quarters."

"I'm glad we rose and matched their level of intensity," he added.

Leland played well on both sides of the ball Friday. Senior Adam Ondi rushed for two touchdowns and 163 yards, and senior Lane Gemette gained 95 yards and scored three touchdowns. Three different Chargers registered sacks--Michael Ledeit, Jeff Sommer and Joe Peera--as the defense sealed off passing lanes and bombarded the quarterback all game.

The game started off with a Leland drive from its own 30. The Chargers pushed forward on short runs, but Ondi burst the game wide open with a 51-yard gain, darting through to Del Mar's 1-yard line. Junior Kevin Krail ran it home the next play, giving Leland a 7-0 lead at 9:43 of the first quarter.

Del Mar fought right back. Cukar launched a 40-yard bomb to Salerno, and key blocks from junior Logan Lijon, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound offensive lineman, moved the Dons down the field. But the squad couldn't bring it home. Not yet, that is.

After a missed field goal, Dons defensive backs Cory Sullivan and Thomas Johnson registered some big tackles and forced the Chargers to punt. On the next possession, Del Mar evened the score.

Salerno led the way, carrying the ball four times deep into Leland territory. After senior Sean Lawler pulled in a five-yard pass, Peera broke through for the first of three sacks. The Dons lined up to punt, but it was a fake. Johnson grabbed the snap and handed it off to Linares, who chugged forward 37 yards for the first down. Ledeit pushed the Dons back with a sack, but wide receiver Tim Stanislao made a quick six-yard catch to put the team on Leland's 12-yard line. Cukar then sent a spiral right into the chest of Salerno, making it a 7-7 game at 10:28 of the second quarter.

After Del Mar's early rush, Leland unleashed an offensive torrent. The Chargers scored three more times before the first half was out.

On the ensuing drive, the Dons defense kept the Chargers at arm's length, thanks to tackles by Stanislao, Sullivan, sophomore Samir Sabic and junior Jerry Tuicakau. But a 21-yard gain by Gemette put Leland at first and goal, and on the next snap Gemette charged through the middle for a touchdown. Junior Ricky Battipede kicked the second of five extra points.

A strong defensive play put the ball back in Leland's hands. Senior Jon Erickson blocked a pass, and after Peera's second sack, the Dons punted. Ondi ran the ball hard for 12 yards, and Gemette finished the drive with a 15-yard dash to the end zone, which brought the score to 21-7 at 5:22 of the second.

After recovering an onside kick, the Chargers were stymied by Del Mar's defense. Tackles by juniors Eric Tilbury, Steven Lee and Graham Ferrer stopped the run, and Leland turned the ball over on a fourth-down pass attempt.

But a quick interception by Ledeit put the Chargers back on offense. Defensive lineman Matt Araujo forced a fumble on a crunching hit, but Leland recovered the ball. On the next play, Ondi ran in a 37-yard touchdown, making the game 28-7 with 55 seconds left in the half.

The methodical, almost scientific precision of Ondi's run epitomized the Chargers performance on Friday.

"Leland runs their plays and they run them to perfection," Buran said.

Del Mar started the second half with the ball, advancing downfield with a strong run by Linares and a pass to Salerno. However, Chargers linebackers Anthony Sunseri, Shay Taylor and Brighton Scala hounded the quarterback and kept the offense stagnant.

A big punt return brought Leland to Del Mar's 31-yard line, and on the first play of the sequence, Ondi found a hole and carried it across the goal line at 8:24 of the third quarter, putting the Chargers up 35-7.

Del Mar tight end Sean Chandi, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore, moved the Dons forward with a seven-yard catch, but Scala, Taylor and junior R.J. Singer broke through for key hits and forced the punt.

Strong defensive play by Johnson and Tilbury helped contain the run, but junior Paul Barota crashed the line for a 10-yard gain. Running back Josh Carroll earned a crucial first down, and after Gemette made a 31-yard dash to the 4, Leland scored its sixth and final touchdown at 3:45 of the third quarter, on a four-yard run from Gemette.

Del Mar was determined to continue the fight. Linares charged ahead with a 24-yard gain, and brought the Dons to Leland's 11-yard line with a 38-yard catch.

After the teams traded punts, Johnson recovered a Leland fumble on the Chargers 20-yard line. Lee and Lijon blocked for Linares, who ran the ball in for a touchdown at 7:55 of the fourth quarter.