Tribune/John Byrne - Spanish Springs’ Cody Clifford (26) takes a handoff from quarterback Andrew Hodgkins during the fourth quarter of the Cougars’ 21-0 win over San Lorenzo Valley Friday night.
“We were great against the run and then we didn’t give up anything really against the pass either,” Spanish Springs coach Scott Hare said. “We are playing a physical brand of football that we have to play. The kids are really buying into it.”
Despite the lopsided final margin, the game was close through three quarters. Spanish Springs tacked on a pair of insurance touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
“This was a tough trip, but it was a good preseason game for us. Hopefully, they feel like we gave them a good game,” San Lorenzo Valley coach Doug Morris said. “Spanish Springs is a good program. It’s a beautiful school and they probably feel like they’ve got it going.”
Leading 7-0, Spanish Springs got some breathing room on the first play of the fourth quarter. Richie Hernandez lined up in the Cougars’ spread offense, ran through a hole in the middle of the line and scampered 12 yards into the end zone for a touchdown, giving the local school a 14-0 lead. The 99-yard scoring drive was keyed by a 45-yard run up the sideline by Dominic Smith.
“That 99-yard drive we had is more like what we’ve done so far this year offensively. I told them in the huddle, let’s go 99 yards, use the bread and butter and get some things done,” Hare said.
On the ensuing drive, San Lorenzo Valley went into its bag of tricks and pulled out the wide receiver pass after a reverse, but Hernandez grabbed an interception to nix the California school’s chicanery.
After taking possession on the pick, Spanish Springs went three-and-out. However, the Cougars got the ball back again thanks to a Luke Arciniega interception with just over five minutes to go in the game. That turnover resulted in the final Spanish Springs touchdown. Clifford did the damage, rumbling over the goal line for a 14-yard touchdown run. Brandon Pelfrey booted his third extra-point kick of the night and the Cougars had a 21-0 advantage with 2:29 to go in the non-league contest.
In the first half, the Cougars created a big break for themselves when Nick Coughlin blocked a San Lorenzo Valley punt on a fourth-and-4 play. The block was the Cougars third in four games and helped Spanish Springs get on the scoreboard first.
Cody Clifford scooped up the loose pigskin after the block and returned it to the SLV 15. Five plays later, Spanish Springs had a touchdown. The Cougars kept the short drive going when they converted a fourth-and-2 play. It came thanks to a 4-yard run on a quarterback keeper by Andrew Hodgkins on a busted play. Spanish Springs wound up getting a 2-yard touchdown run from Smith with 5:25 to go in the first quarter. Pelfrey’s extra-point kick gave the SSHS crew a 7-0 lead.
The Spanish Springs defense dominated the night, holding SLV under 200 yards of total offense. The visitors never drove inside the Spanish Springs 40-yard line.
“That’s a good defense. They fly around. I felt like we’d start to move the ball and then get stifled. I have to give them credit. They’re a good football team,” Morris said. “Our defense played pretty well. I think they could’ve played better if they’d gotten some help from our offense, but we just couldn’t get anything going.”
Spanish Springs opens High Desert League play next weekend with a Friday night battle at Reno.
“San Lorenzo Valley is a team that offensively might need a couple more weapons, but I would not have brought a team up here that wasn’t going to be a quality football team that would prepare us for league,” Hare said.
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