Greyhounds roll over Eagles in home opener
– The Atascadero Greyhounds kept their record on the season spotless against the Everett Alvarez Eagles on Friday night at Atascadero Memorial Stadium, 49-28. The Greyhounds now sit at 3-0 while the Eagles go to 1-2.
The Greyhounds jumped off to an early lead, on the first play from scrimmage senior quarterback Kane Cooks ran 79 yards on the quarterback keeper for the touchdown to make it 7-0.
Everett Alvarez drove all the way to the doorstep of the goalline before tossing a pick at the one-yard line. However, in the ensuing play, Atascadero’s handoff got stuffed in the backfield resulting in a safety to make it 7-2.
After receiving the free kick senior wide receiver Kain Holly scored on a play action pass to give the Eagles the lead 9-7. Atascadero soon responded with a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Tyler Bukamier to retake the lead near the end of the first quarter 14-9.
To start the second quarter Everett rushed into the endzone on the first play to retake the lead again 16-14, with Atascadero once again responding soon after with a touchdown of their own when junior running back Cole Loney punched it in in the redzone to make it 21-16.
A touchdown with five minutes to play gave the Eagles the lead, although a blocked field goal would make their lead 22-21, which would be the last lead they would hold in the contest.
Atascadero marched down the field and despite a false start with 40 seconds to play at the Eagles one-yard line, scored on a 6-yard run by junior running back Austin Smith to make the lead 28-22.
To start the second half senior cornerback Jarom Damery picked off the Eagles QB to set up a short field for the offense to work with. The Greyhounds converted on a nine-yard run by junior running back Joseph Hyde to extend their lead, after an Eagles penalty on the PAT they went for two and converted to make it 36-22.
More offense by the Greyhounds followed as Bukamier was again the benefactor of a touchdown pass from Cooks, but the kick was missed wide right leaving the score as 42-22. Smith also found his way into the endzone with a 14-yard run to extend the lead to 49-22.
A touchdown as time was running down by Everett made the score 49-28 after a failed two-point conversion, which would be the final after a pair of kneeldowns.
“It was a hell of a battle,” Atascadero head coach Victor Cooper said. “Our coaches made great adjustments at halftime to help us pull away at the end.”
The Greyhounds look to continue their momentum at home as they open up league play against the Santa Maria Saints on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
-Report and photos by Jonathan Sze
Comments
