CONCORD – Clayton Valley Constitution had its probabilities to beat a tricky and skilled Salinas group on Friday evening, however wasn’t capable of finding the tip zone when it mattered most.
Down by a landing within the fourth quarter, the Ugly Eagles on two events moved the ball contained in the Cowboys’ 20-yard line. However Salinas turned them away each occasions, together with as soon as with lower than two seconds left in regulation time to assist pull out a formidable 21-14 nonleague victory.
“We undoubtedly had our alternatives,” Clayton Valley Constitution coach Tim Murphy stated.
Clayton Valley’s final greatest probability to tie the sport got here after it recovered a Salinas fumble with 2:03 left within the fourth quarter and took over at its personal 49-yard line.
After six performs, the Ugly Eagles had third down on the Cowboys’ 15 with 10.5 seconds to go, however a Christian Aguilar go supposed for Davin Amos simply outdoors the tip zone was intercepted by senior Josiah Garnica, sealing the win for Salinas.
Interception by Salinas with 1.9 seconds left to seal a 21-14 win over Clayton Valley pic.twitter.com/pob3tFNvOr
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) August 27, 2022
“I really feel like we did drove the ball downfield rather well, for my part. We simply want to complete, that’s all,” stated Aguilar, who was enjoying his first sport for his new college after he transferred from Pittsburg earlier this 12 months. “We did have a variety of momentum going our means.”
With the sport tied at 14, Salinas went forward for good with 27.3 seconds left within the third quarter, as Cowboys senior quarterback Adam Shaffer scored on 5-yard run to finish a three-play, 29-yard drive.
Salinas had glorious subject place after the Ugly Eagles elected to go for it on fourth down deep in their very own territory. On 4th-and-8, although, an Aguilar go fell incomplete.
Murphy has at all times had a distaste for punting, significantly when he beforehand ran a double-wing offense and routinely went for it on fourth down.
Clayton Valley had punted on its earlier two possessions earlier than the turnover on downs.
“I stored attempting to get my punter to do a sure factor on the punt and he simply stored not doing it,” Murphy stated. “So I stated, let’s simply attempt to go for it. I noticed one thing that I believed was gonna be huge open. It wasn’t.
“I’m at all times a form of a fourth down man. However three punts in a row. I simply couldn’t take it anymore. That’s a bit a lot. However that’s form of what I’ve at all times aspired to do is guarantee that we give our youngsters all 4 downs. I at all times really feel like punting is only a minor model of quitting, since you’re giving up the ball with yet one more down left.”
Each Murphy and Aguilar talked about how dropped passes harm the Ugly Eagles, who're attempting to transition right into a extra balanced offensive group after being principally run-first in latest seasons.
Aguilar and junior Mason Lovett alternated snaps at quarterback for the primary three quarters, however Aguilar was below heart for a lot of the last 12 minutes. The 2 quarterbacks mixed for 220 yards passing, and the Ugly Eagles added 160 yards on the bottom.
Aguilar threw an 8-yard landing go to Hayezon Jackson with 5:35 left within the first quarter to present the Ugly Eagles a 6-0 lead, and Nick Khashabi scored from one yard out with 1:08 left within the first half to chop Salinas’ result in 14-13.
Murphy stated he’ll hold the two-quarterback system in place till he feels one has demonstrably progressed forward of the opposite.
“Clearly, we’ve received two good ones,” Murphy stated. “I feel they each have their positives. However we’ll most likely proceed to do that till one simply surpasses the opposite. We simply don’t go stay sufficient apply to essentially get a gauge on which quarterback is healthier, however we’re gonna undoubtedly see it in video games.”
It didn’t assist Clayton Valley’s trigger that each Khashabi and fellow working again Micah Avery missed time late within the sport with cramping points. The Ugly Eagles additionally misplaced junior defensive finish Angel Gonzalez within the second half to what Murphy was informed was a damaged proper ankle.
The Ugly Eagles host Del Oro subsequent Friday.
Shaffer additionally threw two landing passes within the first half, connecting with Zach Ball on a 14-yard go with 3:38 left within the first quarter and Cal-bound Nyziah Hunter on a 65-yard landing go with 8:39 left within the second quarter.
Shaffer additionally carried the ball 16 occasions for 81 yards, together with his most spectacular runs coming in crunch time within the second half.
“He’s been that man the previous few years for us,” Salinas coach Steve Zenk stated. “After we want an enormous play together with his legs or his arm, he will get it for us, and he did a fantastic job tonight proper after we wanted him.”
