The Conqs' Party

LOMPOC - With leading rusher Bennie Garrett on the sidelines with a minor injury, it was up to Greg Watson to pick up the slack. He did so in spades.

Watson ran the ball 21 times in the first half for 180 yards and two touchdowns, as Cabrillo High football team rolled past the Santa Maria 55-13, in a Los Padres League game at Huyck Stadium on Friday night.

“We held Bennie Garrett out - his knee is just a little sore,” explained Cabrillo coach Don Cross. “No damage or anything, but everything's fine, he'll be back.”

It was Homecoming for Cabrillo and the Conqs (1-4, 2-5) made sure the alumni went home happy, scoring two touchdowns in each quarter of the game.

“He's a three year starter for us so he knows what to do with the ball,” Cross said about Watson. “He had a great game and the line blocked very well. Greg knows what to do with the ball.”

With only three carries in the second half, Watson made way for junior David Fraats at the tailback position. After a dubious first carry, where he fumbled the ball at the Santa Maria goal line, Fraats more than made up for it by rushing seven times for 83 yards and three touchdowns.

“He said he was gonna score the next time he touched the ball.” Cross said about Fraats. “He was very upset with himself for fumbling the ball in the end zone.”

Fraats scored on a 48-yard run in the third and a 17-yard jaunt in the fourth. In between the rushing scores, he returned a short kickoff for a 65-yard touchdown.

“He's an underclassman with a lot of speed,” Cross continued about Fraats. “It was a good chance to let him get out there, see what it's like and carry the ball a little bit.”

The Fraat kickoff return was in answer to the first score by the Saints in league play. Sebastian Pedrara scored a touchdown from one yard out to cap a short 31-yard drive that took three plays.

Josh Pipersburg returned a Cabrillo punt to the Conqs' 31, then ran 23 yards on the first play of the drive. Edgar Uriarte ran six yards to set up the Pedraza run.

Santa Maria (0-4, 2-5) scored on the final play of the game. With four seconds left and fourth down, Cabrillo had to punt the ball away. Alberto Avila took the punt at his own 49 yard line and streaked down the Saints sideline for a touchdown runback.

“They never give up,” Cross said about the Saints. “Raul does a great job and he's getting everything he can out of those kids, no doubt about it.”

Cabrillo started the scoring with two nine-play drives in the first quarter. With Watson running the ball six times for 25 yards and Matt Rotondi three times for 15, the Conqs took 4:50 to drive 50 yards for the first score of the game.

Santa Maria jumped offsides three straight plays to take the ball from the Santa Maria 41 to the 31. Before a snap was made, Cabrillo was whistled for a procedure penalty, pushing the ball back to the 36. Watson scored from the six with 7:01 on the clock.

The Saints went three and out on the next drive. Watson ran for 71 yards on six carries to set up a six yard scamper by Rotondi. Almost caught in the backfield, Watson broke free for 38-yards, for the biggest gain of the drive.

In the second quarter on a second and one at the Cabrillo 31, Rotondi broke a big run for 31 yards. Four plays later on a fourth and one Sean Allen found a wide open Brandon Whittaker in the end zone for a 34-yard TD pass.

With 2:24 remaining before the big homecoming halftime extravaganza, the Conquistadores took the ball at the Saint 43. A Fraat nine yard run was followed by four straight Watson carries, the final being an eight yard touchdown run.

After Rena Todd was named Homecoming queen, Fraats had his first chance to score a touchdown. Allen passed to Josh Bowman at midfield. Bowman took a sure interception out of the hands of the defender for a 28 yard gain. After an offsides penalty against Santa Maria moved the ball to the Saints 48, Fraats broke free for the touchdown.

On the next possession, backup quarterback Adrean Ames scored on a one yard plunge, capping off a seven play, 42-yard drive. The big gainer was a 32-yard run by Whittaker. He got the ball in the backfield on a reverse, was almost brought down behind the line of scrimmage and broke free to the Santa Maria three.

Next up for Cabrillo will be a trip up to Morro Bay.

“I told the kids that last time we went up there, we were ranked number one in CIF and they knocked us off,” Cross explained. “So we're gonna go up there and try to turn the tables on them.”

The Saints will host Nipomo at Dave Boyd Field.

Oct. 20, 2007