FRIARS SHUTDOWN SHARKS OFFENSE

By Robert Balajadia

For the first time this football season the Sanchez Sharks were rendered scoreless against an FD Friar defense that has been playing stingy all season long. The Friars shutout the Sharks 23-0 Saturday night at the Okkodo field while also posting 296 rushing yards on the defending champs.

The Friar defense held the Sharks running game in check allowing just 50 yards on the ground all game long. Kobe Tupaz led the Friars with eight tackles with teammates Reynold Rokop and Frankie Tenorio each getting five.

Freshman sensation De’Aundre Cruz took 17 carries for 129 yards and one touchdown to lead the Friar running attack with teammate Christian Duenas putting in crazy yard per carry average, using just five carries to get 96 yards with a touchdown as well.

Duenas had a 95-yard run called back due to a holding penalty in the third quarter, a quarter where Duenas took the first play of the second half 65 yards for a touchdown to put the Friars up 23-0.

The unsung heroes will always be the offensive line, and though they aren’t the most popular group in the eyes of the public or media, they only need validation from a small group of people.

“The only praise that matters is within this team,” assured offensive line captain and birthday boy celebrant Garardo Tenorio. “No matter how tired we are or no matter how tired we might be, there is no choice because the line is where everything starts. If the line goes (forward) then hopefully the whole team will go.”

Friars QB, Jujuan King, blasts out of the pocket to run the ball within a few yards of a touchdown before being ran out of bounds. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Midway through the third quarter, Sanchez punt returner Trey Leon had just returned a Friar punt 50+ yards to get in the red zone, the closest the Sharks had come to scoring all game. A scramble for a first down had set up Sanchez from five yards out threatening to score their first points of the game.

Then on a second down hand off, Friars linebacker Joaquin Mesa got a good hit on the Sharks ball carrier forcing the ball loose where teammate Romeo Teodosio was able to pounce on it to get the takeaway, the defenses second of the evening. Tupaz had recorded three tackles alone during the drive while getting good praises from the coaching staff throughout.

“I’ve got to thank [Reynold Rokop] for pushing all the runs towards me and the linebackers were all backing us up to,” said Tupaz on stuffing the Sharks run game. “We were told to watch out for their running backs because they are really fast.”

The Sharks  would come knocking on the door again late in the fourth quarter after Ethan Gustilo recovered a muffed punt by Friars Bryton Cepeda inside the red zone. The Sharks repeatedly tried to run up the middle against the Friar defense eventually turning the ball over on downs.

FD established the run early with Cruz scoring on just his second touch in the first quarter from 38 yards out to quickly go up 6-0 followed by an unsuccessful PAT from kicker Brian Leon Guerreo. Cruz left the game late in the second quarter with a knee injury and would only return in some spurts in the second half, though the Friars running game didn’t skip a beat.

Duenas finished off a late game drive with a 4-yard touchdown run after Cruz had exited the field to go up 13-0.

Trey Leon of the Sharks shakes and bakes his way through Friars for a huge gain the would end within a few yards of the goal line. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

The Friars were preparing to have their defense take them into the half until Sharks kick off return man Mitchell Evangelista had trouble securing the ensuing kick off as Friars Devin Sudo laid a big hit on Evanglista, who was trying to scoop up a bouncing ball. Sudo recovered the ball as well setting up the Friars in good field position with less than a minute in the half.

A few run plays had brought the Friars to the 10-yard line where Leon Guerrero nailed a 20-yard kick with ease to go up 16-0 in the first half.

Duenas scored the final points of the game on the very first play in the second half with the Friar defense completing the shutout.

The Sharks will have a much needed bye next week coming off three straight losses while the FD Friars play host to the scrappy Okkodo Bulldogs.

The Friars aren’t planning on taking any snaps off regardless of the team they face and the birthday boy assures that each team will be getting FD’s best each and every game.

“Every single game we play is going to be bigger and bigger and we play every game like a championship game no matter what.”

Other Game

Okkodo 14, Guam High 7

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Bryton Cepeda of the Friars gets wrapped up after a short gain in the first quarter. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Friars running back, Christian Duenas, has a break away right out of halftime which would end in a touchdown putting the score at 23-0 in the third quarter. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Ethan Flores of the Friars blasts a kick through the uprights for the PAT putting the score at 16-0 just before halftime. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

De’Aundre Cruz rams into the Sharks defenders in hopes to gain more yards on the play. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)