Tigers fall to 1-3 against visiting Sanger as they gear up to host Tulare Union Friday night
The once-beaten Apaches, a perennial Tiger opponent, upped the ante to 34-7 early in the fourth quarter before Lemoore seemed to come alive, scoring twice in the closing minutes to cut the once large gap to 41-22.
The Tigers looked impressive in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Justin Holaday completed a long pass to Will Schalde to put Lemoore in prime scoring position with a first down on the Sanger nine-yard line. From there, Elijah Jones scored on a three-yard run. Mathew Ramirez booted the extra point to cut the margin to 34-14.
However, Lemoore’s high hopes for a miracle comeback may have been dashed when Sanger’s Morgan Privett, just moments later, scored on a 65-yard touchdown run to spoil the mood. The Apaches took a 41-14 lead with barely two minutes left in the game.
Lemoore managed to score again in the waning moments, completing a pass for a touchdown and a two-point conversion to account for the 41-22 final score.
The Tigers, at 1-3 in the pre-season, hope to end their losing streak on Friday when they host Tulare Union, a seemingly potent team that has already defeated a pair of the Tigers’ West Yosemite League foes. The Tribe crushed Mt. Whitney 57-6 in its opener and outscored El Diamante 42-25 before dropping a 28-8 decision to Redwood High School.
The Apaches Friday night in Lemoore took control early, scoring on their first possession when Tulare Union quarterback Noel Collazo scored from five yards out to lead his team to a quick 7-0 lead. Collazo set up the touchdown with an impressive 37-yard run to advance the ball to the Tiger 19-yard-line. Fullback Pierce Jones set up the score with a five-yard burst to set up the final push by Collazo.
The Apaches upped the ante to 13-0 with a Collazo three-yard touchdown following a drive that began at the Sanger 35-yard line. Collazo put on a virtual clinic, rushing for a 20-yard gain to advance the ball to the Tiger 31, and then a few moments later, broke through with a 17-yarder to place the ball at the Lemoore nine-yard line.
The talented quarterback scored from the three-yard line to up Sanger’s lead to 13-0. Jones made it 19-0 with about nine minutes left in the second quarter when he scored from the three-yard line following a drive that started at the Lemoore and included a 38-yard pass play to Dolce Calandra.
Lemoore’s first touchdown came late in the first half. With 2:20 remaining Holaday scored from the Sanger five-yard line to cut the gap to 19-7. His touchdown capped an impressive 70-yard drive that included a critical fourth-down play at the Lemoore 47.
Holaday found Schalde open for a 10-yard pass play to preserve the drive.
The Sanger offense refused to let up. With just 1:20 left in the first half Collazo, found Calandra open for a 28-yard scoring pass to take a 27-7 lead into the half.
Upcoming games
9/20 Tulare Union at Lemoore 7:30 p.m.
10/4 Redwood at Lemoore 7:30 p.m.
10/11 at El Diamante 7:30 p.m.
10/18 at Golden West 7:30 p.m.
10/25 Mt. Whitney at Lemoore 7:30 p.m.
11/1 at Hanford 7:30 p.m.
