New-feel Devils roll to 27-3 football victory at Armijo
FAIRFIELD — Improve every week. Stay healthy. Shock the world.
So far, so good …
In opening the 2011 prep football season with a 27-3 victory at Armijo High on Friday, Davis High served notice that this is a much different team from the past three seasons.
Improve every week — the Blue Devils snapped a nine-game losing streak, didn’t turn the ball over and held a hopeful Indian crew to only 115 yards of total offense.
Stay healthy — Sure, there were some knuckle scrapes, but team doctor Rob Peterson got to watch this game. So good was the DHS protection that quarterback Shayne Reagan took only two significant hits. In the end, it was the Armijo players getting up slowly.
Shock the world — He did whaattt?? Sophomore running back Winfred Roberson made his varsity debut one for all seasons. The 5-foot-8, 185-pound scooter rushed for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
The difference from that 1-9 clunker campaign a year ago?
“We have balance. We played a much more consistent game,” Devil head coach Steve Smyte said after watching his troops score three times in a red-hot second half. “We came out slow but then we got into that roll.”
It must be noted that under new coach Aaron Toliver, the Armijo Indians bore no resemblance to their former selves.
Sure, the program has now lost 17 straight games, but fans could tell there’s a spark among Indian players that has long been missing.
Armijo wanted this one — and their spirited play early provided proof.
Opening the game at his own 20, junior QB Jacob Chauvin engineered a 12-play, five-minute drive that resulted in a Victor Calderon 41-yard field goal.
A 32-yard run from Jairon LaCosta set up the score.
When Davis’ first possession resulted in a punt after only six plays, some Blue Devil fan got to squirming.
But by the second quarter, the DHS offensive line was gelling. An 11-play drive of 4:41 ended with a missed field goal. However, something special was cooking.
Roberson, who won a spirited practice battle to start at tailback, was putting up complete-game numbers — by halfway through the second period.
Just 3:41 before intermission, Roberson went 42 yards for his first touchdown. The extra point failed, but suddenly Davis’ featured ball carrier was on his way to a 143-yard first half.
“Not a bad debut, huh?” Smyte said, smiling wider than he had in a year. The offensive line was playing very well.
And it got better …
Across the trench, the Devils were claiming their territory. Tackles Francisco Leon-Gomez and Bailey Murray joined center Alex Magrino and guards Brian Stabenfeldt and Nick Denton in opening holes and providing pass protection.
Receivers like Corey Nelson and Grant Dickerson were cutting off defenders at the edges, giving Roberson room on sweeps. Wideouts Willie Hawkins and Kris Mackewicz made downfield blocks.
All signs hinted at a new DHS football era, and the second half was loaded with empirical evidence …
Opening the third period with an 11-play, 74-yard drive (this time consuming 5:16), the Blue Devils eventually saw Roberson score from two yards out. Kicker Thomas May found his rhythm and the junior’s conversion put the locals up 13-3.
Then the Davis defense once again dug in.
Defensive back Marcus Charles smothered a quick out pass for a four-yard loss and linebacker Dickerson hammered Indians tailback Enrique Garrido-Ramirez for four more negative yards.
When Armijo punted, DHS scored again on a 20-yard pass from Reagan to Nelson. The versatile Nelson ran a textbook corner route, taking his defender up the field before breaking out to catch the waiting pass from maestro Reagan.
The All-Delta Valley Conference QB finished 9-for-17 passing, good for 120 yards and the Nelson score.
But this night was Roberson’s coming-out party — and with 4:38 remaining he was back in the end zone, this time from six yards out.
The Devils finished with 386 yards on the night. Roberson’s 256 yards was the fifth-highest ground total in DHS history. Fausto Portillo holds the record at 286 against Woodland in 1992.
Next up for the Davis is Sacramento High on Friday (7:30 p.m.). It marks the first of four consecutive homes games for the Devils.
Notes: In addition to catching three passes for 46 yards and a score, Nelson accounted for nine tackles and assisted on four others. Mackewicz had two grabs for 37 yards and a seven-yard end around. Hawkins blocked brilliantly downfield for Roberson and caught four balls for 37 yards. … In addition to Roberson, two other sophomores weighed in big-time in their first varsity experience. Tackle Murray kept Armijo linemen off-balance, forcing standouts Toeta Elise and T’Shala Kijana away from his running backs and Reagan. Linebacker MacDonald was as advertised, making three of Davis’ first four tackles, thus serving notice not to run his direction. … DHS lost to the Dragons (Sacramento is the oldest high school west of the Mississippi River) last fall, 27-13. … From the Needs to Work On Dept.: DHS was whistled for 11 penalties, one of which cost back-up tailback Adam Inouye a 20-yard gain.
— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at bgallaudet@davisenterprise.net or (530) 747-8047. To view galleries and purchase prints of Blue Devil sports photos, visit http://davisenterprise.zenfolio.com
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=78091
Posted by Bruce Gallaudet
on Sep 3 2011.
Last Login: Tue 22 May 2012 11:46:20 PM PDT
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