Football sport shorts, 2011
FC falls short in home opener

By The Feather staff
September 14, 2011

FOOTBALL SPORT SHORTS, 2011
(Latest football shorts will be at the top of the section. Scroll down to check out past results. Scrimmages do not count toward win/loss record. Visit the Sports Section for football features.)

Check out the 2011 schedule and stay up to date with stats and standings at Maxpreps' Eagles' football home page. FC is currently 0-2 overall and 0-0 in the West Sequoia League as of Sept. 9. The Eagles will next host Stone Ridge Christian, Sept. 23.

FOOTBALL, 2011

LATON TOPS EAGLES--Sept. 9
FC hosted the Laton Mustangs for their home season opener and despite their hope for a first win on Eagle turf, they lost 38-0, Sept. 9.

Freshman defensive lineman, Jon Freitas, who had two sacks, says even though it did not feel as though they were shutout, they still need to improve much of their game.

"It didn't feel like we got beat 38-0, but we could've worked a little better and kept the score closer," Freitas said. "I think we improved a lot from Mendota, but our offensive line still struggled and so we need to work on that and maybe try people in different positions to see who is the best."

Although the first half was dominated by Laton, as they scored 32 points, in the second the Eagles held Laton to only six more points. Center and linebacker, Josh Grinage, '12, attributes the change in the second half to, altering their defense and running sweeps on the offense.

"What went better in the second half was that we kinda woke up and our tackling became better," Grinage said. "Then we shifted into a different defense which helped us out more against the offense they were running and we incorporated some more blitzes and got them in the back field a couple of times, thanks to JD [Freitas]. We also actually started to run the offense that would work with the 28 sweeps."

Senior Sergio Arciga, Laton, ran for 344 yards against the FC defense and assistant coach Mick Fuller says the main aspect they need to build on is their tackling.

"We need to continue improving our tackling, we need to play more aggressively and anticipate what the other team is doing instead of waiting for it to happen and trying to react," Fuller said. "Some of those things are confidence issues, but some of those things you can get by increased repetition and familiarity so you don't have to think and process, but see and react."

The Eagles will next host Stone Ridge Christian, Sept. 23.


FC FALLS AT MENDOTA, 50-0--Sept. 2
The Eagles traveled to play the Mendota Aztecs for their first game of the 2011 season, Sept. 2. Within the first few minutes of the game however, Mendota scored and pushed on to win 50-0.

Junior Brandon McCormick says prior to the game he was hopeful for a win as they were able to hold Orosi to one touchdown the previous week, Aug. 26, but that quickly changed when the game began.

"I felt good about the game at first, but the first few plays started and we were getting shoved down the throat pretty much," McCormick said. "I started to hesitate a little; I was still giving 100 percent all the time, but they started scoring touchdown after touchdown. It was kinda discouraging and I was just thinking what are we doing wrong and what can we do to get better?"

Head coach Dan Stockton says he takes all the blame for the loss and as a coaching staff they did not adequately prepare their team.

"Well I think we as the coaches didn't have the team properly prepared," Stockton said. "I knew what Mendota did, but I didn't know they were going to stunt every down on defense and do their plays so well. There's no excuses, we decided we wanted to play and so we got to figure it out and I think next Friday we'll find out if we learned anything."

This week will be the first home game for FC against Laton and McCormick feels they have a chance to tack on a win, Sept. 9.

"For this next week I just hope we can do a lot better for our first home game and come out to a huge crowd," McCormick said. "Hopefully it doesn't have the same outcome as Friday and that we get to be on the top this time and not the bottom."

The Eagles will next host Laton at home, Sept. 9.


EAGLES SCRIMMAGE OROSI--Aug. 26
For the first scrimmage of the Eagles' 2011 season, they faced off against the Orosi Cardinals, Aug. 26.

Starting quarterback for FC, Tyler Krigbaum, '12, who had four completions says despite the fact they only have 22 players they were able to step up to Orosi's level.

"With the amount of players we have and that we don't have that much of a practice squad, I think we did pretty well," Krigbaum said. "We all played pretty well and our defense definitely stepped up."

Next up on the schedule is Mendota who is a physical and audacious team according to Krigbaum.

"For Mendota we just need to practice physicality and just be more aggressive than them because we were told they were a really aggressive team," Krigbaum said.

Although no score was kept in the game, Orosi only scored one touchdown on a long ball to the corner of the end zone in their final offensive series. However, FC was unable to make it in for a touchdown.

Head coach Dan Stockton feels that his team played a fine game as Orosi was one of the best teams they will play in their upcoming season.

"The first series we played real well on offense and defense and then we had a couple kids get hurt and from there it was a struggle," Stockton said. "I really thought they were a good team and as good as we'll see until we get to Fowler and Caruthers. As far as the team goes, we got a lot of work to do, but we got a lot of great kids and if they're willing to do it I think we're gonna get there."

FC will next travel to play Mendota, Aug. 26.


For more information on the 2010 football season, check out the Football sport shorts, 2010.



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