LINDEN, Calif – Four yards.
That was how far that the Orestimba High football team needed to reach the end zone on an offensive drive toward the end of the second quarter against Linden High’s defense. Warrior quarterback Jacob Valenzuela had completed passes on the drive, which was also assisted by Lion penalties, as the drive started deep in the team’s territory.
But the drive, and season, came to an end for the Warriors.
In a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Football Playoffs – Division VI game, Linden, one of the tri-Mother Lode League champions, shook off the cobwebs having a first-round bye and posted a 47-0 win over Orestimba (7-5), which was the No. 5 seed, at Lion Stadium on Friday. The host Lions were the No. 4 seed.
“We didn’t finish,” said Orestimba head coach Aaron Souza after the game in which he and his assistant coaches held a lengthy and emotional post-game talk at west end zone. “That’s what happens when you play a team that’s explosive on offense.”
The two teams were scoreless for most of the first quarter. Then Linden (9-2) got on the scoreboard with 57.6 seconds left in the quarter when wide receiver Braden Busalacchi, taking a direct snap out of the Wildcat formation, took the rock for a 1-yard run. Sebastian Trujillo booted the extra-point for a 7-0 score.
The Lions jumped out to a 21-0 advantage in the second quarter, before the Warriors seemed to have found their offensive groove toward the end of the quarter. Linden quarterback Matthew Schallberger made it 14-0 on a 6-yard and was responsible for the next touchdown, an 11-yard pass to tight end Hunter Rodriguez.
After the Lions’ third touchdown, Orestimba started its offensive drive at its own 25-yard line thanks to a 19-yard kickoff return from wide receiver Donovan Torres. Valenzuela orchestrated the drive by completing 3 of 8 passes to tight end Devon Bell and wide receiver Dylan McCauley. The pass from Valenzuela to Bell of 29 yards marked the ball at the Linden 26.
Thanks to two Linden penalties of encroachment, holding and personal at various times on the drive, the Warriors moved the ball to the Lion 4 on fourth down and goal. Orestimba opted for a 21-yard field goal, which went wide of the goal post and left Linden leading 21-0.
“We didn’t convert,” said Souza of the team’s offense in the game. “That’s football. Play against a good team on the road. If you don’t make some stops early, you don’t score, you don’t finish and that happens.”
The second half was all Linden.
The Lions increased their lead to 27-0 with 3:25 left in the third quarter when running back Landen Ly scored on a 7-yard run. The extra-point kick was no good.
The Warriors were back in Lions territory again after the kickoff. Despite a 31-yard pass completed from Valenzuela to Bell, spotting the ball at the Linden 45. But that drive ended when Lion linebacker Shane Carter picked off a Valenzuela pass.
Linden used its defense to take a 33-0 lead with 10:17 left in the fourth quarter. Busalacchi, a linebacker, picked off a Valenzuela pass and raced back to the west end zone 35 yards for the score. Orestimba linebacker Nicolas Cuevas blocked the Lions’ extra point.
Valenzuela completed passes of 11 and 32 yards to McCauley on the following offensive drive that moved to the Linden 31-yard line. But the Warriors turned the ball over on loss of downs.
The Lions wasted no time in making it a 40-0 score at 6:30 when Schallberger hit running back Isaac Ruvalcaba on a 59-yard touchdown pass. The extra-point kick sailed through the uprights.
Linden’s defense delivered another punch again, as cornerback Carson Chea intercepted Valenzula. That led to running back Andy Juarez scoring a 1-yard run with 1:04 left in the game. The extra-point kick was good for what led to the final score.
Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushphotography.
