COD Football defense keeps team in game late, falls to Olympians, 23-19

COD (4-4; 1-2) moved the ball well on the ground, but six turnovers proved costly against the San Diego Mesa Olympians (7-1; 3-0), 23-19.

Sophomore running back Kamone Best (Goldsboro (NC) Eastern Wayne) had his second 100+ yard rushing game of the season as he carried the ball 16 times for 116 yards, including long gains of 31, 29 and 24 yards and a catch of 21 yards on Sophomore Night. 

Freshman quarterback Noah Shoeman (Murray, UT) struggled to find a rhythm as he threw four interceptions, passing 27 times and completing 13 for 102 yards and a score. Freshman linebacker Chris Arnold (Lancaster Eastside) led the way for the Desert defense, with seven total tackles, assisting on six, plus a half-sack and a quarterback hurry.

Even with four interceptions and two fumbles lost, the Roadrunners defense still kept the team in the game. As Desert ran both a conventional offense and a modified wildcat to keep the Olympians on their toes.

Desert would get onto the board first as freshman kicker and punter Luis Castellanos (Cathedral City H.S.) nailed a 49 yard field goal to give the home side a 3-0 lead with 3:28 left in the first quarter.

Mesa would gain the lead on the next possession as they scored on a two yard carry, to give the Olympians a 7-3 lead.

The Roadrunners would respond with a touchdown of their own on their next possession, as freshman running back Tony Williams (Indio Shadow Hills) darted in from two yards out on a fourth and goal play to get back in front, 10-7.

The Olympians would tie up the game just before halftime as they converted a 24 yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 10-10.

On their third possession of the second half, Desert found their way into the end zone again, this time Shoeman found freshman running back Andre Dreiling-Renteria (Lakewood (CO) Bear Creek) for the score to give the Roadrunners a 16-10 lead, but a blocked extra point attempt, kept the score at 16-10.

A 44 yard field goal by Castellanos with 13:32 left in the game, gave Desert a 19-10 lead.

The next game for Desert is at the Southwestern Jaguars in Chula Vista, next Saturday, November 4th at 6 p.m.

Photo by Michael Bukraba (mebukraba@gmail.com)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.