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| The end of a dream |
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| Written by Mike Vanden Bosch / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 05 December 2007 | |
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Central Catholic ends Patterson's Cinderella season in section title game in Stockton STOCKTON — The Patterson High football team etched its place in the annals of school history with each game this year, but history and adrenaline gave way Saturday to Central Catholic’s experience and big plays. The Raiders used an interception return for a touchdown and a couple of big pass plays in the second half to beat Patterson, 24-6, in the Division V Sac-Joaquin Section title game at the University of the Pacific. The defeat ended a season when Patterson had the highest number of wins in school history and kicked off the school year with a 7-0 record. “The kids played hard and didn’t quit,” Patterson coach Rob Cozart said. “… They rallied around everything and stayed with it. I’m extremely proud of these guys.” Central won its eighth-straight section championship under coach Mike Glines, who publicly announced his retirement Saturday following a storied history. Glines had 207 wins in 23 seasons and took home the school’s 15th section title. “I’m so proud of the kids,” Glines said. “I love the kids, and I love the game. It’s been neat; it’s been fun. You can’t put a price on friends. “I’ve always believed it’s my job that I got to outwork the other coach. I’d like to be known for hard work first of all.” A crowd of more than 2,500 Patterson fans watched Patterson (11-2) battle Central (11-1-1) in a wild first half. Accepting the opening kickoff, Central marched from its own 35-yard line to the Patterson 20 before the Tigers’ defense stopped the Raiders on downs. Patterson gained just one first down on its first possession on a Keith Yamamoto 6-yard run. However, the Tigers got a big break when Johnny Garcia recovered a Louis Bland fumble at the 2-yard line just as Central was about to score. Even more significant was an ankle injury to lineman and defensive stalwart Jorden Faatiga. He hobbled off the field and returned only sporadically. “Jorden never wanted to come out, even though he could barely walk,” said Yamamoto, Patterson captain and All-League linebacker. “That just shows what the defense is all about. We’re not the biggest or strongest defense, but we got the heart that it takes to be pretty dominant.” Cozart expressed disappointment in what he deemed a chop-block below the knees on Faatiga, a call he said should have been whistled for a penalty. “That play is what frustrates me the most about this game,” Cozart said. “When Central ran a toss (run) play, and when the ball is outside what’s called the free blocking zone, it’s an illegal chop-block. “A tackle came all the way and got our nose guard on his ankle. They cut him, took him out, and the ref didn’t make a call.”  Patterson quarterback Daniel Reza mourns the end of the season after Saturday's 24-6 loss to Central Catholic. Photo by Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator Patterson stalled deep in its own territory on its second drive and was forced to punt after going three-and-out. A high snap was corralled by punter James Santana, who managed to get off a 14-yard punt. Patterson couldn’t hold off Central in such good field position. Following a 15-yard pass from David Halvorson to Alex Young, Bland scampered nearly untouched seven yards into the end zone for a 7-0 Central lead with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Down but not out, Patterson unfurled its only scoring drive of the day, a 10-play masterpiece that began with negative rushing yards and finished on a bang, when Yamamoto bolted 21 yards into the end zone to trim Central’s lead to 7-6. Kicking woes hampered the Tigers, though, as Eric Mejia’s extra-point attempt sailed wide right. Following a 24-yard Central field goal by Andrew Kelly, Mejia missed a 33-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in the first half that would have brought Patterson to 10-9. Instead, Central led 10-6 at halftime. Then, history seemed to repeat itself in a play reminiscent of Central’s fumble recovery in the end zone during its 35-10 win Oct. 26 over Patterson. On just the fourth play of Patterson’s opening second-half drive, Central’s James Orth intercepted a Daniel Reza pass and returned it 50 yards for a 17-6 lead. “We came back out from halftime, and we were under control,” Cozart said. “Then, the momentum shifted, and it never really came back. It goes completely against our favor, much like the first time we met. That was a hard mental block for a lot of the guys to overcome.” On the first play of Patterson’s ensuing drive, Reza was tackled as he tossed a pitch to Yamamoto. Reza struggled with his physical mobility the remainder of the game, relegating him to the passing pocket. Central capped the scoring with four minutes, nine seconds left in the third quarter, when Young caught a 24-yard pass from backup quarterback Blake Trinkler for a 24-6 lead. Garcia and Josh Ham each intercepted Trinkler after that, but Bland and T.J. Belton returned the favor by ending two Patterson fourth-quarter drives with interceptions. The disheartening result of the game, though, didn’t seem to put a damper on the overall season outlook. “We put a lot of heart into this,” Reza said. “We tried to use our strengths. It took us this far. I’m sure happy to be a part of this team. This is a great group of guys, and I’m happy to have spent time with them.” Cozart marveled at what he considered an amazing season. “I couldn’t do half the things without the support of the community, the coaches around me, the administration and the faculty,” he said. “It’s just been amazing. I’m so proud of these kids, the community and the fan support.”
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