Last Friday a packed house filled Loftin Stadium, the site of the Los Banos Tiger football team’s (4-1 overall, 2-0 WAC) homecoming game against the Grace Davis Spartans (0-5, 0-2 WAC), and the locals pummeled the visitors from Modesto by the final score of 45 to 6.
The Tigers used a swarming defense led by Jett Lindeman (7 tackles, QB sack, fumble recovery), Lorenzo Chavez (8 tackles), Cole Ramos (7 tackles), Adan Salas (6 tackles) and Caleb Robertson (Interception) to stymie the Spartan offense and set up the Los Banos offense with excellent field position.
The offense was paced by the Tiger combination of quarterback David Herrera (9/15 passing, 119 yards, TD, 9 rushes for 121 yards, TD) and Joel Alvarenga (11 carries, 127 yards, 2 TD’s) accounting for 367 of the 390 total yards amassed by Los Banos. Caleb Robertson (2 catches, 38 yards, TD), Adam Aguilar (4 catches, 33 yards) and Daylen Mankel (3 catches, 26 Yards) led the passing game for the locals.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 62 yards in nine plays and when Herrera cut inside a Jackson Silva block to score on a seven yard touchdown run. Abel Carillo added the conversion kick and Los Banos held a 7-0 early lead.
The Tigers upped their lead to 15 to 0 when Alvarenga rambled 27 yards to the end zone, and Ethan Briseno connected with Evan Rebosa for the two-point conversion.
A 42-yard run by Alvarenga and a Herrera to Mankel long pass completion set up the third Tiger touchdown.
Alvarenga powered up the middle through an opening made by Sam Sanchez and Bobby Roque to score on a 10 yard touchdown. Carrillo added his second conversion kick and the route was on as the Tigers opened a 22-0 advantage.
The Tigers made it 28-0 just before halftime, when they marched 78 yards in 10 plays ending with a Herrera 25 yard pass completion to Robertson, who stretched full out on a grab to haul in the touchdown throw.
After the Spartans scored their only points of the game on a run by their quarterback Izreal Sanchez, Tiger sophomore Raul Diaz, aided by downfield blocks by Jared VanlobenSels and Brayden Milojevich returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards into the end zone for a touchdown, and a 35-6 Los Banos lead.
The Tigers scored their final touchdown when Herrera scampered 28 yards to pay dirt, and Carrillo added the conversion kick and a 42-6 Tiger lead.
Finally, fourth down on the Spartan 33 yard line, Tiger head coach Dustin Caropreso called upon his placekicker Abel Carrillo to attempt what would be a record-setting 51 yard field goal attempt. The offensive line held the Spartans and Carrillo booted the kick. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced over for the successful 3-point play.
After the game Caropreso said, “All I wanted was for Abel to kick it into the end zone for a touchback, I never thought he would do what he did. Wow what a play.”
