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November 7, 2009 The Sierra Foothill League has boasted some of the best teams in Northern California and staged some of the most exciting games of the year too. It continued on Friday at Rocklin high school as the Thunder were able to hang on in the second half to beat Del Oro 24-21 to remain unbeaten on the year.Almost everything on offense Friday night for Del Oro was difficult to come by as it couldn't make the consistent big plays. The running game of Bryce Pratt was kept in check most of the night and had its most success on quick hitters through the middle to let Pratt use his natural skills. The Golden Eagles tried a number of delays or counter type runs, but were never really successful in this department because the slow play development allowed the Rocklin defense to get penetration and flow to the football. It seemed like the running game gained some momentum in the second half and started imposing its will as the game wore on. The passing game was able to provide a partial complement through the use of play action. Quarterback Max Magleby looks comfortable in this set and has found a weapon in tight end Adrian Williams. The standard play for the Golden Eagles is a play action pass with a short out route in the flat to Williams, which produced a number of key plays. However, the passing attack lacks creativity and depth to it as Rocklin was able to key in on this play. I would have liked to see Spencer Butterfield more involved in the offense on some slant plays and jump balls to use his 6-foot-4 frame. It would help to open up the offense that struggled to get big plays and was forced to go on long, extended drives in order to score. The defense stepped up in the second half and was able to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. However, it struggled with the outside running of Jackson Cummings, who was able to get to the corner on almost every outside run. The defense needs to get better at outside containment. The pass defense could also be better as well as a number of throws could have been deflected, but the unit made few plays all night, which is surprising for a group with some talented athletes. Top players for Del Oro were linebacker Derek Luque, defensive lineman Tyler Adair and Williams. Rocklin played a very sound first half and made enough plays in the second half for the win. The Thunder was able to get consistent production out of it running game behind senior Jackson Cummings. It was able to win battles at the line of scrimmage and get plenty of early running room for Cummings, who had his most success off tackle when he was able to get defenders in open space. The Pistol look Rocklin uses really does a nice job of getting downhill running going. The passing game had its moments, but never seemed to get into a groove. Quarterback Jimmy Laughrea had some success when Rocklin moved the pocket for him, but still missed on numerous throws. His biggest throw was in the fourth quarter on a go route to Holden Huff to set up the eventual game winning touchdown. However, the receiving core had a tough second half overall with four drops as the rain started to come in. The overall key on Friday for Rocklin was its ability to get in manageable third downs and then covert when it was third and long. The defense played another solid game and continued to do a great job of flowing to the football and making plays once there. It starts up front with the defensive line, which won quite a few battles early in the game, led by Trevor Cooper and Dean Phillips. This allowed the linebackers free reign to the ball carrier and they took advantage of it. Daniel Lessard had a solid game at linebacker and BJ Roberts also stood out. Though Del Oro didn't challenge much with the passing game, senior Garth Keefer continues to impress with his coverage skills. He was in coverage against Butterfield late in the game and held his own against one of the best wide receivers in the region. Player Reports Spencer Butterfield WR Del Oro: He has a great frame and knows how to use it from his basketball background. He has good hands and goes up well to compete for the ball. Butterfield lacks blazing speed, but is a very nice possession/red zone option. Derek Luque LB Del Oro: The junior linebacker started the game strong and played downhill. He reads the play well and tackles with fundamentals at the point of attack. He is a junior to keep an eye on as this year concludes and into the summer. Jackson Cummings RB Rocklin: Cummings lacks the ideal size, but he can get the corner regularly. He runs hard and has quick feet to get in and out of his cuts. He can make an impact in all areas of the game, but projects best as a third down back. Jimmy Laughrea QB Rocklin: Though it wasn't his best game, Laughrea showed a strong arm and an ability to move the pocket. He has good field vision and is enough of a running threat to keep a defense honest. On this night, he was off on a number of balls, which could have resulted in interceptions. |
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