GECKOS EASE THROUGH SHARKS, NOW 3-0

By Daniel Akimoto

The GW Geckos extended their perfect high school football season to 3-0 with a commanding 42-0 shutout over the Sanchez Sharks on Saturday night at JFK’s Ramsey Field. The victory was a showcase of dominance on both sides of the ball, with explosive plays, relentless defense, and a cohesive team effort that overwhelmed the Sharks from start to finish.

Defense Sets the Tone Early

The Geckos wasted no time making an impact. On the opening drive, Jyran Macias forced a fumble that was scooped up by Jaden Escuadra and returned for a touchdown, giving GW an early 7-0 lead. Although the Sharks tightened up defensively for the remainder of the first quarter, the momentum had already shifted.

GW’s second score came courtesy of special teams. A muffed punt by Sanchez was recovered deep in Sharks territory, setting up Justin Sablan for a short-yardage touchdown run to make it 14-0. Quarterback Jace Dela Cruz then connected with Colen Ray Salas for a 29-yard touchdown strike. A tipped PAT attempt left the score at 20-0 heading into halftime.

Leon Guerrero Leads Second-Half Surge

The second half opened full throttle. On just the fourth play, TyJames Leon Guerrero snagged his second interception of the night and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. Dela Cruz continued his efficient night, finishing 4-of-8 for 107 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yard bomb to Rayn Rios on a wheel route. Leon Guerrero added a two-point conversion to stretch the lead to 36-0.

Jayce Sablan capped the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run, sealing the 42-0 rout.

Unsung Heroes Shine

While the stat sheet was filled with big plays, the offensive line quietly paved the way for success. Their consistent blocking allowed the Geckos to execute key plays and maintain control throughout the game.

“We started off rough, which was hard,” said center Terince Leon Guerrero. “But we kept moving, kept going, and brought up the hype, and just kept pushing through.”

Terince also emphasized the team’s mindset: “Personally… I don’t really care about all the media and everything. [To me], it’s just have fun, play football, and play the sport I love. We all love football, and it shows.”

With their third straight win, the Geckos continue to prove they’re a force to be reckoned with this season. Their next challenge awaits, but for now, GW stands tall—undefeated and unshaken..

On the other sideline, Sanchez head coach Nikolas Masnayon is leading a fresh-faced coaching staff of nine, all new to the program. With just five seniors and six juniors, the Sharks are in the midst of a rebuilding phase.

Reflecting on his team’s second-half adjustments, Masnayon noted, “It was just grip and grind from there. Assignments got more understood as the game progressed, and we saw who were the factors on defense that we needed to block out. That’s what created opportunities and holes that running backs couldn’t miss. That’s what led them to hit the holes harder and read the defense.”

Now sitting at 1-3, Sanchez’s lone win came against Okkodo (19-0), with losses to FD (63-0), Southern (52-16), and GW (42-0). Despite the setbacks, Masnayon remains optimistic about the team’s growth.

“From the first day of summer to the second half of this season, we’ve had some major improvement,” he said. “Having a new coaching staff was a shock to the kids, it was all new to them. I can’t complain about the progress they’ve made. All a learning process for both teams.”

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter
GW: 7-0 – Jaden Escuadra 38 yard fumble return (Whitman kick)

2nd Quarter
GW: 14-0 – Justin Sablan 1 yard run (Whitman kick)
GW: 20-0 – Coley Ray Salas 29 yard pass from Jace Dela Cruz (kick blocked)

3rd Quarter
GW: 27-0 – Ty Leon Guerrero 27 yard interception return (Whitman kick)
GW: 35-0 – Rayn Rios 54 yard pass from Jace Dela Cruz (Leon Guerrero run)

4th Quarter
GW: 42-0 – Jayce Sablan 1 yard run (Whitman kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATS

PASSING

GW: Jace Dela Cruz 4-8-0 107 yds 2 TD; SS: Jayson Parr 4-12-2 16 yds, Charles Mendiola 1-2-1 14 yds.

RUSHING

GW: Jayce Sablan 3-42, Justin Sablan 8-41, Rayn Rios 3-19, Jace Dela Cruz 2-1; SS: Makoa Sahagon 6-6, Jude Kelly 4-1, Jayson Parr 5-(-3), Christopher Leon Guerrero 2-(-3), Justin Namelo 1-(-4), Kaleb Toves 1-6

RECEIVING

GW: Colen Ray Salas 2-32, Rayn Rios 1-54 TD, Jaden Escuadra 1-16; SS: Christopher Leon Guerrero, 2-21, Kelly 1-14, Isaac Amaguin 1-10

TOP TACKLES

GW: Ryan Rios 7, Lukas Leon Guerrero 3, Eduardo Whitman 3; SS: Jude Kelly 4.5, Christopher Leon Guerrero 3, Isaac Amaguin 3, #85 3

SACKS

GW: 4 (Landon Suzuki, Dylan Cruz, Ysidro Flores, Joseph Cruz .5, Escuadra .5); SS: 0

INTERCEPTIONS

GW: 3 (Ty Leon Guerrero 2, Eduardo Whitman); SS: 0

PENALTIES

GW: 12-110; SS: 8-45

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