Tigers roll Junction City
Ontario piles on 472 yards of offense in victory
By Wil Anderson
Argus Observer
Sunday, November 9, 2008 12:30 AM PST
ONTARIO—Saturday afternoon, Ontario’s Matt Anthony did his best impersonation of Reggie Bush, returning a pair of kicks for the Tigers, leading them to a 55-7 win over Junction City during the first round of the OSAA 4A State football playoffs in Ontario.
Anthony returned a punt in the first half, and a kickoff in the second half, as his Tigers advance to play No. 1 Central, in Independence, with the date and time to be determined.
Ontario’s offensive attack wasted little time getting started. After forcing a three-and-out, the Tigers began their first possession with a first-and-10 from their own 20-yard line.
On the first play from scrimmage, Jake Turner, who led all rushers with 141 rushing yards, took the ball on a sweep, and ran down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run. Cristian Sanchez added the point after for a 7-0 lead, with 10:42 left in the first quarter.
Ontario’s next defensive stand also did them well, forcing a punt, after Junction City was able to pick up one first down. But, Ontario was still able to force a punt.
On the punt, Ontario’s Chase Fields caught the punt inside the Ontario 20-yard line, where he handed the ball off to Anthony, who sprinted down the sidelines for a 84-yard touchdown run, and a 13-0 lead, with just over three minutes off the clock in the first quarter.
“We just put that in this week,” Anthony said of the reverse. “There was a wall of blocking, it was all because of the blocking.”
Each team struggled offensively throughout the rest of the first quarter, combining for three first downs.
“We noticed the body language had changed,” Junction City head coach Mark Henderson said about the first two Ontario scores. “The speed of Ontario is different than the speed of Junction City.”
Ontario’s first possession of the second quarter moved Ontario down the field.
The drive stalled out on the Junction City 20-yard line, so Sanchez was brought in for a field goal attempt.
Sanchez’ kick did not get more than 15-feet off the ground, but through the uprights for a 16-0 lead, with 7:49 to be played in the half.
Ontario added another touchdown, when Tad Anzaldua connected with Turner for a 5-yard strike, with :37 seconds left in the half, and a 23-0 lead.
“The last three games we have come out flat,” Ontario head coach Trever Wilson said. “We worked on being ready to play. We wanted to come out and hit them hard, fast and first.”
In the second half, Ontario picked up another pair of quick touchdowns, to build up a 35-0 lead, with 6:58 left in the third quarter.
Junction City then played a little bit of offense of their own, when quarterback Aaron Likens found a wide open Colton McClintock for a 55-yard strike and a touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Anthony went to work again, this time RJ Gonzalez took the kickoff, and Anthony came around on a reverse, and weaved back and forth for a 95-yard touchdown return, and a 42-7 lead.
Ontario scored another pair of touchdowns, with Turner busting through the middle, untouched for a 49-yard score and Jace Salutregui going around the right side for a score, for the final difference.
Turner also finished with 69 yards receiving, while Frank Lopez rushed the ball 21 times for 107 yards.
