The Willow Glen Resident

Willow Glen shut down by Santa Teresa

By Dick Sparrer

No one has been able to stop Willow Glen's vaunted passing attack this season.

No one, that is, until Santa Teresa last Friday afternoon.

The Saints stopped the high-flying Rams cold last week and hung on to record a tight 10-8 win in the opening game of the year in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletyic League.

"No one has done that to us," Willow Glen coach Bob Parker said after the loss. "They just laid back and played pass.

"[Santa Teresa] played really well."

David Macchi was able to completed 15 of 27 passes for 174 yards, but he was sacked five times and threw three interceptions.

Willow Glen backs combined for only five yards rushing in the loss, and together with the sacks and penalties, the Rams were able to net only about 100 yards of total offense.

Despite that, Willow Glen still had a shot at victory in the game. The Rams pulled off a flea-flicker when Macchi tossed to John Fernandez on a 15-yard curl, and the receiver pitched to running back Mike Strangis, who completed the 49-yard touchdown play. Macchi hit Fernandez for the two-point conversion, and Willow Glen trailed just 10-8 with 5:45 to go in the game.

"We had the wind and we had the momentum," Parker said. But the Rams didn't have the football, and couldn't get it back.

Twice the Saints converted on big third-down plays. They ran out the clock for the win.

"I can remember three critical third-down situations," said Parker, whose club could not contain the Saints at key points in the game.

The Rams did recover four fumbles in the game. Cory Hare, Paul Sanchez, Seth Andrews and Fernando Betancourt all covered enemy bobbles.

The coach praised the work of Hare at inside linebacker, Leon Thomas at safety and Kyran Warren at defensive end.

Fernandez caught seven passes for 43 yards and Hare caught a pair of 51 yards.

The Rams, now 2-2 for the year and 0-1 in league, will take on powerful Valley Christian on Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., at San Jose City College.

[ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ]