By: Krissy Hetherington
(Feature image courtesy of Jermaine Johnson II)
Redwood, now 7-1 and 2-1 in league, clashed with Hanford, 8-0 and 3-0, on Thursday night at Neighbor Bowl. Both teams went into the game undefeated and hungry to come out on top, but it was Hanford who kept the lead and pulled away in the last quarter ending with a loss for Redwood, 36-20.
Thursday’s game drew a large crowd, it was crucial in determining a league title and DII playoff rankings between two undefeated powerhouses.
“It’s another game just like every week. No matter what team it is, we have to prepare and go out and execute, the score will represent that.”
Head Coach Kevin Scharton
Although Hanford won, Redwood didn’t go down without a fight and still proved great strength and unity at this point of the season.
Upon their return from the locker room after halftime, the team responded to the 17-0 deficit by scoring two back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter.
A big kickoff return by Malachi Aguilar and 1-yard touchdown drive by James Richardson put Redwood on the board about a minute into the half.
Crucial rushes from Caden Shafer and James Richardson led Diamond Davis to rush through middle of the end zone 7 minutes after their last touchdown.
Redwood struggled in the fourth quarter while Hanford’s offense scored three touchdowns to the Ranger’s one by Sam Olson.
Despite this one loss, the team still holds a close to perfect record and some big victories over Dinuba and Tulare Union to kick off the season. With a brand new coach, team, equipment and uniforms, Redwood has turned around this season setting them apart from previous years.
Going from a 4-6 record to now a 7-1, the returners don’t want to make the same mistakes as last season. “We’re seeing a lot of great senior leadership and young players really mature and accepting the roles they have…” Matt Sozinho, Redwood Athletic Director said.
It’s all the little things that we didn’t do that you can see if we had better practices it would have translated onto the field.
Brian Brown, ’20, wide receiver
A loss teaches an athlete so many lessons they can’t learn from a win. Scharton and the team won’t let this loss define the rest of their season and are focused on the next three favorable games and their end goal of a Valley Championship.
Redwood will face off against El Diamante at 7:30 in the Mineral King Bowl on Friday, October