Article - CIF Sac-Joaquin

SACRAMENTO — Chase Whiting set the tone for his Lodi High football teammates. The Flames’ defense also had some say in keeping the momentum going on their side in the second half of a 33-20 non-league victory over Laguna Creek at Cosumnes River College on Friday. Lodi (3-1) trailed the host Cardinals 20-13 at halftime. “We talked (to) the guys to open their eyes,” said Lodi coach Joe Rohles about the team’s halftime conversation. “We kept talking about being a more physical team.” The Flames started that drive on their own 44-yard line after receiving the opening kickoff. During their offensive drive, running back Julian Avila carried the rock five times for 19 yards that included an 11-yard run that moved the chains to the Cardinals 45. Another big play came when Whiting, the Flames’ quarterback, rolled out of the pocket and found tight end Sean Tetz for a 9-yard completion to the Cardinal 19, six plays after Avila’s run. “Chase is a tremendous leader,” said Rohles of Whiting. “Every day, his work effort is second to none on the team, physically and mentally. He’s almost like an offensive coordinator on the field. He’s a heck of a player.” Whiting added, “We came out with the mentality that we’re just going to shove it down their throats and play Lodi football. That’s what we do.” Whiting scored seven plays later, on a 3-yard keeper to tie the game at 20-all with 4:47 on the clock. Then the Flames took the lead for good when Whiting hit Tetz again on the 2-point conversion for a 21-20 score. Lodi turned to its defense to get the ball back from Laguna Creek (1-3), which is now a member of the revamped Delta League that consists of seven Elk Grove high schools. Flames middle linebacker Jaffer Hernandez stepped in front of a pass thrown by Cardinals quarterback Owen Burke on Laguna Creek’s first play at its own 21, but now the ball spotted at the 26. “That interception, it was huge,” Whiting said. “That was probably the most crucial play of the game. It got the momentum going for us.” Rohles noted, “We’ve been preaching at practice to get those turnovers. It’s something we talk about in practice every week; we do the drills; we get the turnovers.” Four plays later, Avila busted up the middle on a 6-yard run with 3:05 left in the third quarter. The extra-point kick was no good, but Lodi built its lead to 27-20. Laguna Creek turned the football over again on its next drive that started after the Flames’ touchdown, this time on a loss of downs at the Lodi 22 in the early minutes of the final quarter. Lodi took advantage of that turnover by scoring its final touchdown of the game. Gazan creates solar devices to combat fuel, water shortages Gazan creates solar devices to combat fuel, water shortages close Next Stay Auto (225p) 225p 360p Subtitles Off Subtitles EN The 12-play, 70-yard drive, which had a combination of runs from Avila, Whiting and Cooper Mettler and a pass from Whiting to Noah Hufford of 2 yards, ended when Avila broke the plane on a 1-yard run with 3:53 left. The extra-point kick was again no good, leaving the score at 33-20. The Cardinals’ next two offensive possessions each consisted of three plays and punt. Laguna Creek even dug deep into its playbook on one of the drives, using a hook-and-lateral pass. The Cardinals gained five yards on the play, but it was on fourth down and 28 to go from their own 17. Laguna Creek scored three times in the second quarter. The Flames only had one. Wide receiver Ryan Eddy hauled in a 14-yard pass from Burke with 24 seconds left on the clock in the quarter. The extra-point kick was blocked, but the score gave the Cardinals a 20-13 lead to end a 7-play, 43-yard drive. The Cardinals’ Kyle Drapper found the end zone on a 7-yard run on a counter play with 4:02 remaining in the quarter. Xavier Reyes’ extra-point kick gave Laguna Creek a 14-13 advantage. The Flames held a short-lived 13-7 lead before the Cardinals took the lead that was also short-lived. Whiting found running back Kash Merrymam up the middle and taking the football 39 yards for the touchdown. The extra-point kick was blocked for a 13-7 score at 7:20. Laguna Creek tied the game 7-all at 11:22 in the quarter, thanks to a Lodi fumble that the Cardinals recovered at Flames 5-yard line. Lodi’s defense flexed its muscles in the first quarter. A Cardinal fumble led to Flames defensive end Eli Souza recovering the loose ball at Laguna Creek 39. Two plays later, Whiting kept the ball out of the team’s double-wing offense and raced 35 yards for the touchdown at 4:30 in the quarter. Erik De la Torres-Arias watched his kick sail through the uprights for a 7-0 score. Laguna Creek, receiving the opening game kickoff, looked like it was going to put points on the scoreboard first. Burke found wide receiver Jayden Villalobos, who raced 67 yards to the Lodi 5. But he fumbled the football, and a Flames player recovered the ball. The Flames and Cardinals shot themselves in the foot as they were penalized for too many men on the field and two false starts on that Lodi possession. The result was Lodi moved the ball to its own 25 on stalled at fourth down and 14. Lodi wraps up its preseason schedule this Friday. The Flames will travel Highway 99 south to Atwater to play Buhach Colony (0-4), which is a member of the Central California Conference. Ceres struck down the Thunder with a 27-0 score on Friday.

High school football: Lodi rallies to beat Laguna Creek