Redwood Tackle Football Cruises Past Bullard 58-7 To Advance To Quarterfinals

On Friday, November 6th, the Rangers cruised to a 58-7 victory against the Bullard Knights in the first round of the Division Two Central Section Playoffs, moving on to the quarterfinals.

By Fabian Anguiano

With the playoff energy in the air and both teams eager to start their playoff bid, the Knights won the toss and elected to defer, giving the Rangers the first look on offense.

Quarter-By-Quarter Analysis

First Quarter

The Knights kicked off, and returner Jarius Brooks ‘28, received the return. He found a hole and a convoy, getting past the 50 until ultimately finding the edge, taking the return all the way to the house to give the Rangers the early lead within seconds; the extra point made the Rangers lead 7-0.

The Knights began their first drive of the game at the 20-yard line after a touchback; they began with a handoff to running back Brayden Briscoe ‘27, getting stopped at the line of scrimmage, bringing up 2nd and 10.

Quarterback Broncyn Mendoza ‘28, followed up, getting cornered by Ranger defenders and getting forced to lob the ball up, which was intercepted by free safety Ethan Mendonca ‘29, who brought the ball inside the 20, and an illegal block in the back after the interception backed up the Rangers drive to about the 30-yard line.

Quarterback Nash McElree ‘27, started off looking for Brooks in the end zone, which got undercut by a defender, almost being intercepted, falling incomplete. McElree followed up by finding running back Qur’An Goodman ‘29, on a screen, and Goodman did the best job finding gaps all the way into the end zone; the extra point extended the Ranger lead to 14-0 within less than two minutes of the first quarter.

The Knights started at the 20 after a touchback once again, and they started off with Briscoe taking the handoff once again, getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage by defensive end Adrian Legarda ‘28, and other numerous Ranger defenders bringing up 2nd and 10.

After another short run by Briscoe, a Ranger defender batted down the attempted pass at the line of scrimmage, forcing the Knights to punt.

Starting at about the 37-yard line after a return by Brooks, the Rangers hopped back on offense. McElree started off by finding receiver Ollie Richardson ‘27, for a solid gain, moving the sticks for a first down; Goodman followed up by running up the gut for another Ranger first down.

McElree followed up by keeping it himself, finding the edge on the left, getting a convoy and getting all the way to the 11-yard line deep into the end zone. McElree followed up, finding the left side once again this time into the end zone for six; the extra point extended the Ranger lead to 21-0 with just under seven minutes left in the first quarter.

The Knights started off the drive once again at the 20-yard line, and they went three-and-out after short runs and an incomplete pass; returner Andre Ceballos ‘27, returned the punt to around the Ranger 25-yard line.

The Rangers started off with a flea flicker; McElree looked downfield on a corner route to Richardson, which fell incomplete, though a flag flew signaling a pass interference call, moving the Rangers up the field.

After an incomplete pass, Goodman found the edge, getting a solid gain and bringing up a 3rd and 1 for the Rangers; running back Chase Luna ‘28, ran up the middle, picking up the first down and giving the Rangers a fresh set of downs at about the 25-yard line.

The Rangers’ drive capped with Luna walking into the end zone for six; the extra point was good, extending the Rangers’ lead 28-0 with minimal time left in the first quarter.

The Knights started off their drive with Mendoza finding an open receiver for a nice gain, moving the sticks; after back-to-back runs short by Briscoe, the Knights were forced to punt once again.

The Rangers started off their drive at around the 25 after a return by Ceballos, and McElree began attempting to evade defenders on the pass rush until he was hit as he attempted a pass, resulting in a fumble and the Knights recovering, giving themselves great field position.

Briscoe started off running the ball up the middle, getting deeper into the red zone and moving the sticks; after back-to-back short runs, the Knights faced 3rd and 5.

Mendoza found a receiver for the first down at the two-yard line with Mendonca in coverage; Briscoe took the ball up the gut and gave the Knights their first points of the night; the extra point decreased the Knights’ deficit to 28-7.

This concluded the first quarter.

Second Quarter

The Knights looked to catch the Rangers off-guard by attempting an onside kick; though the Rangers were able to become aware quickly enough to recover the ball and take possession at around their own 47.

McElree started off finding Brooks on a corner route, where Brooks juggled the ball and was able to maintain possession before going out of bounds at around the nine-yard line.

McElree followed up by finding receiver Cash Lovenberg ‘27, for a solid gain, getting all the way to the two-yard line, and Goodman put the exclamation point on the drive, tuning up the middle untouched for six; the extra point extended the Ranger lead to 35-7.

After the return up to the 20, the Knights began their drive with a run by Briscoe once again, and linebacker Abram Feldstein met him right away, stuffing him at the line of scrimmage for no gain; Mendoza followed up, finding a receiver on a screen for a nice gain and a first down.

The Ranger defense responded as defensive tackle Yain Garcia-Cervantes ’27, and other Ranger defenders met Mendoza behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of yardage; the Ranger defense followed up by sacking Mendoza, forcing a 4th down and another punt.

After a few solid plays, the Rangers were up to about the Knights’ 40-yard line; McElree followed up by throwing a screen to Brooks, who took it all the way to the 10-yard line.

McElree put the exclamation point on the drive by finding tight end Exavier Jackson ‘30, in the middle of the end zone, wide open for six; the extra point extended the Rangers’ lead to 42-7.

The Knights began their drive with a nice run by Briscoe getting around the 45-yard line after a solid gain; Mendoza followed up attempting a pass, but it was ultimately batted at the line of scrimmage by a Ranger defender. The Ranger defense kept the momentum going with Feldstein getting launched like a cannon, making a nice tackle on the following play.

This concluded the first half.

Third Quarter

The Knights started their first offensive drive of the second half at the 20-yard line after a touchback.

After a short run by Briscoe to start off the drive, Mendoza tried to find a receiver, but physical coverage by cornerback London Butler ‘27, caused the ball to fall incomplete, making it 3rd and 9 for the Knights.

On 4th down, Mendoza threw to a wide-open receiver, though it went right through his hands, bringing up 4th down and forcing a punt.

After a modest return by Ceballos and a facemask penalty on the defense, the Rangers started their first drive at about the 35-yard line.

McElree started off the drive with a QB option getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage; the Rangers followed up with downfield plays until Goodman capped off the drive with a touchdown right up the middle, and the extra point extended the Rangers’ lead to 49-7.

The Knights started their drive at the 20-yard line after the touchback, and on the first play they got pushed back five yards after an illegal shift, bringing up 1st and 15, where defensive tackle Andy Garcia Jr ‘28, powered through the offensive line to catch Briscoe in the backfield for a loss of four, bringing up 2nd and 19.

Briscoe followed up running up the middle once again for just a gain of four, bringing up 3rd and 15, where Mendoza scrambled to the right and was only able to get the line of scrimmage out of bounds, forcing a punt on 4th and 15.

The Rangers started with 1st and 20 after a penalty, and McElree threw a screen to Lovenburg for a modest four-yard gain, bringing up 2nd and 14.

The Rangers decided to put their backups in, and quarterback Michael Garcia ‘27, found receiver Jordan Blanchard ‘30, who made the catch right on the defenders head deep in the red zone.

After a nice run by running back Adrian Melgar ‘27, the Rangers faced a short 3rd and 1. After a play that amounted to nothing, Garcia looked to his right for receiver Luke Yavasile ‘27, but the pass slipped out of his hands, resulting in a turnover on downs.

With the ball back, Briscoe took the handoff and had no time to breathe, with Garcia getting through the line and stuffing Briscoe all the way just short of the goal line. Mendoza proceeded, looking for a receiver for a short pass that went through the receiver’s hands, forcing a 3rd-and-14.

On 3rd down, Mendoza dropped back and got sacked in the end zone by Legarda and other defenders for a safety, adding to the Rangers’ lead to 51-7 and giving them the ball back.

This ended the action for the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Rangers started off with a handoff to running back Noah Royal ‘30, for a solid gain; they followed up with Garcia evading a sack and managing to throw a pass out of bounds.

After Royal got stuffed at the line of scrimmage, it brought up 4th and 10 for the Rangers.

On 4th down, Garcia’s pass fell incomplete after almost getting intercepted; what should have been a turnover on downs resulted in the Rangers getting a fresh set of downs after a penalty on the Knights’ defense.

After a short gain by running back Isaac Williams ‘27, quarterback Jackson Todd ‘29, ran a sweep to the right into the end zone for the touchdown; the extra point made the score 58-7.

The rest of the quarter was filled with minimal play and yardage until the running clock hit zero.

This concluded the game, giving the Rangers a staggering 58-7 first-round victory over the Knights.

Player Spotlight

Offense: Running back Qur’An Goodman ’29, had six carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, as well as one reception for a touchdown.

To put on a performance like this in a playoff game, it felt good for Goodman to help his team win the game.

What Goodman believes he did best was yards after the catch; he believes he could have done better finding holes and breaking tackles.

Goodman believes that the team can keep the momentum going into the quarterfinals just as, “The seniors keep up with what we do in practice, we should be able to keep momentum.”

Defense: Defensive end Adrian Legarda ‘28, took part in a safety, stuffed runs, and a good amount of quarterback pressures.

The team has been, “Working since January, the whole D line has a group, so it feels good to go out and show what we’ve been working on.”

Many people like to feel pressure, though the team doesn’t, “Feel pressure, when we worked this hard since january, being in the nine gym, working all that sweat that we dropped. There can’t be no pressure,” said Legarda.

What Legarda believes he did best throughout the game was sealing the edge; no one got outside of him, and overall he believes everyone did their job.

For Legarda to keep the momentum going as a player going into the quarterfinals, he has to, “Keep my teammates in check, I got to make sure they’re heading into what we can really do, what we can really accomplish.”

The Rangers will face the Arroyo Grande Eagles on Friday, November 13th, at the Mineral King Bowl, with kickoff being at 7 p.m. 

Tags: #redwood athletics, Central Section Playoffs, gigantea, Gigantea athletics, Redwood, redwood athletes, redwood football, visalia ca