2008
Cal High crushes Washington 41-0
Filed Under (In the news) by Paul on 22-11-2008
By Steve R. Waterhouse, The Argus
Updated: 11/22/2008 03:54:41 AM PST
FREMONT — It wasn’t all that long ago the California High football team would have been happy with a winning season — making the North Coast Section playoffs would have simply been icing on the cake.
Enter Tony Sanchez.
The fifth-year Cal coach doesn’t stand for anything but 100 percent hard work. Win or lose, that’s what he wants.
Now it helps that Cal has become a winning program — especially in the last two years.
A year removed from the first NCS victory in school history, the Grizzlies dominated in a 41-0 win over Washington in the first round of the Division I playoffs Friday night at Tak Fudenna Stadium.
"Every kid wants to be led," Sanchez said. "You have to put down parameters. We have great young men at Cal. We have great courage."
No. 6-seeded Cal (7-4) advances to the quarterfinals, where it will play at No. 3 Pittsburg (9-1) next Saturday at 7 p.m.
"Cal had problems winning back in the day, but our coach has worked us hard to get us ready," Cal running back Leroy Green said.
Green was instrumental in the blowout. The senior beast of a running back rushed for a career-high 217 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns. "My offensive line does a great job getting that push," Green said.
But it wasn’t all Green in the beginning. Cal came out with more of a balanced attack. Quarterback Bo Stompro completed his first pass of the night — on the second play of the game — a 20-yard strike to Nick Zwarg. Cal’s first series was quite balanced with four passes and three rushes. The Grizzlies got into the end zone on the seventh play of the drive when Reggie Davis rumbled in from 14 yards out.
California took a 21-0 lead into the half. Stompro finished 6-for-9 passing with 149 yards, a passing touchdown and a 69-yard touchdown run that put the Grizzlies in command, 28-0, in the third quarter.
Washington’s season comes to an end with an overall record of 6-5. The Huskies’ six-game win streak (all Mission Valley Athletic League victories) came to a screeching halt, though they did win the league title, their first since 1998.
Washington quarterback David Ross, a junior left-hander, threw for 147 yards on a 23-for-40 effort that included an interception.
"We didn’t execute," said Washington wide receiver Rahsaan Vaughn, who caught nine passes for 68 yards. "They made the big plays."
