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Tigers dig deep in comeback victory |
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Written by Mike Vanden Bosch / Patterson Irrigator /
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Saturday, 06 October 2007 |
Patterson downs Calaveras, 34-27
Patterson remains unbeaten, improves to 5-0
 Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator
So when Patterson trailed in the third quarter for the first time all season, gut check time came earlier than it anticipated.
But the Tigers responded by stopping Calaveras on a fourth down in the red zone, blocking a punt, and intercepting a pass at midfield to propel Patterson to a 34-27 comeback victory at home.
"We needed to step it up in the second half,” Patterson coach Rob Cozart said. “As the game wore on, we started getting better and adjusting. We started making plays we needed to. Both teams played their hearts out. Somebody had to win – thank God it was us.”
Patterson (5-0) had no trouble establishing an early 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of five and eight yards from Robby Samano in the first quarter.
Calaveras exploited Patterson’s run defense on its next drive, signaling a virtual collapse of the Tigers’ defensive tackling scheme.
Uncharacteristic of Patterson’s run defense, which had only allowed three rushing touchdowns in four games, Calaveras running back Dillon Hogsdon broke several tackles en route to a 64-yard scamper. He scored on a 2-yard run with 21 seconds left in the first quarter to cut Patterson’s lead to 14-6.
The Tigers quickly responded with a 78-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daniel Reza to Ronyea Ellington down the right sideline to up the lead to 21-6 early in the second quarter.
 Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator
Patterson running back Keith Yamamoto’s 67-yard run set up a 31-field goal from Eric Mejia to increase the Tigers’ lead to 24-19 with 3:28 left in the first half.
On the ensuing Calaveras ran roughshod over Patterson’s run defense all the way to the 2-yard line. On the final play of the first half, the Tigers stopped Lavatai just short of the goal line as time ran out.
At halftime, Yamamoto, Patterson’s anchor at middle linebacker, energized his teammates with an impassioned locker room speech that centered on Patterson’s tackling schemes and defensive assignments.
"In the first half, we got away from our base defense,” Yamamoto said. “We usually play defense to fill all the lanes. Everybody was over pursuing and not doing their jobs. When that happens, then big holes obviously open up and they get big gains.”
It took a while for Yamamoto’s message to sink in. Lavatai scored on a 5-yard touchdown to give Calaveras a 27-24 lead with 4:36 left in the third quarter. The Redskins also recovered a fumble less than a minute later at the Patterson 20-yard line.
Then came Patterson’s moment to shine. Facing the prospect of going down two scores if Calaveras crossed the goal line, the Redskins stopped Mote on a fourth-and-one at the 11-yard line.
"Everyone was pumped up after Keith's speech,” defensive back Josh Ham said. “Everyone knew they had to crack down on themselves and find out what they had to do to help the team win.”
 Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator
Patterson's defense forced two straight three-and-outs from Calaveras before Josh Ham blocked a punt, and Siaosi Tupouata returned the block to the Redskins’ 6-yard line. It set up a 23-yard field goal from Eric Mejia for a 34-27 lead with 4:33 to go.
"The blocked punt wasn't even a call," Cozart said. “It was Josh Ham seeing an opportunity. Their punter took a long time, and we went for it and made an amazing play.”
Samano intercepted a wobbly pass from Mote on a halfback option near midfield with 3:37 left in the game to thwart a possible Calaveras drive.
Although the Redskins did advance to the Patterson 31-yard line in the game’s final 15 seconds, Patterson handily knocked down two desperation passes in the end zone to preserve the win.
"We'll go back to basics on tackling," Cozart said. “We stuffed Calaveras early on in the run. Our reads weren’t so bad. It was just a lot of bad tackling. We’re at full strength now. We get (fullback) Gordie Inocencio back, so we’ll hit league and be ready to go.”
To reach Mike Vanden Bosch at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at
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