Wildcats Remain Perfect
The Sonora Wildcats beat the Turlock Bulldogs in high school football -- Photo taken by Zeb Drivdah
Written by Zeb Drivdahl
The Sonora Wildcats won 35-24 on the road Friday night over a tough Turlock Bulldogs team. After a 35-yard return of the opening kickoff by Cash Byington, the Sonora offense went right to work. Quarterback Eli Ingalls ran a series of triple option keepers that marched the Wildcats down the field, with Brody Speer adding a 20-yard sweep to put Sonora in the red zone. Byington finished the drive with a 3-yard TD dive as the Wildcat ate almost 8 minutes of game clock. Turlock answered in kind, as a combination of Wildcat penalties and clutch 3rd-down conversions by the Bulldogs ended with a Turlock “tush push” short-yardage touchdown. A missed extra point put the score at 7-6 Sonora. The teams traded touchdowns on their next drives, with Dallas Lattin scoring for Sonora on a 60-yard run. The Bulldogs missed a two-point conversion attempt on their touchdown for a 14-12 score. Sonora got the ball back with 4 minutes left in the half and an eye on extending their lead when Ingalls fumbled an exchange, which was recovered by Turlock. The Bulldogs quickly capitalized on the turnover and took their first lead of the game, 18-14, with two minutes left. The Sonora offense was more effective on their second try at the hurry-up offense, as Byington broke a 50-yard run from midfield to put the Wildcats on top 21-18 going into halftime.
Turlock received the second-half kickoff and picked up right where they left off, as a workmanlike four-minute drive ended in a touchdown and put the Bulldogs back on top 24-21. On the ensuing drive, the Wildcats quickly found themselves in a third-and-long situation. A disastrous trick play attempt appeared to end in an interception, but was nullified by a pass interference penalty on the Bulldogs. Given new life, the Wildcats’ ground game moved steadily up the field and capped the drive with a diving flip for the touchdown from Speer. Back on top 28-24, the Sonora defense got its first stop of the night, forcing a Turlock punt to start the fourth quarter. Another nice return by Byington gave the Wildcats the ball at midfield. Ingalls and the Sonora offense capitalized, finishing the drive with a 10-yard keeper to extend the Wildcat lead to 35-24. The next Turlock drive ended at midfield as the Wildcat defense forced a turnover on downs. Sonora appeared ready to put the game away, but lost a fumble on the Turlock 8-yard line to give the Bulldogs new life. Turlock moved the ball quickly downfield, but the Wildcat defense stepped up and got another turnover on downs, breaking up a series of passes deep in their own territory to ice the game.
Brody Speer won Chicken Ranch Casino Player of the Game for his clutch runs and touchdown late in the game. Chance Davis delivered the Foust Heating and Air Hot Hit of the Game with a sack of the Bulldogs quarterback in the second quarter. Sonora improves to 4-0 on the season and opens up Trans Valley League play next week at home versus Escalon.
In other action, Summerville dominated host Hiram Johnson and walked away with a 58 to 0 victory. Next Friday, they head to Angels Camp to play the Bret Harte Bullfrogs, who lost to El Camino 14-8, and Calaveras High had a bye week. Next Friday, they host Riverbank.
