Alameda Outlasts Skyview

MAPLETON – Perhaps it is fitting that on International Talk Like A Pirate Day the Alameda Pirates would finally taste victory during the 2009 campaign, beating the Skyview Wolverines, 9-6.

“It’s easy to get comfortable with losing,” Pirates coach Mike Joseph said. “We need to get comfortable with winning, and we aren’t there yet. Hopefully this will put us on that path. The next two games are both very winnable.”

Arrgh.

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But this was no easy win, matey, by any stretch. It was more of a pull-alongside, lower-your-guns, blast away with a steady broadside and then grapple-in-the-trenches-type of victory.

“I wasn’t sure of anything until the clock ran out,” Joseph said when asked when he felt the game was in hand.

The game clock seemingly never stopped, as both teams preferred to run the ball instead of passing. Alameda threw just one pass during the first period. It was incomplete. Neither team scored in the game’s opening period.

With a first-and-10 at the Skyview 19, Alameda quarterback Steven Gorden dropped back to pass. Coach Joseph was livid on the sidelines.

“I didn’t call that play,” he shouted. “I didn’t call that play.”

As Gorden rolled to the right and looked downfield, an alert player on the Alameda bench yelled back, “Yeah, but its going for a touchdown.”

Indeed, Gorden found senior Jose Montes open in the far right corner of the end zone.

“We ran the play he called,” Gorden said. “He just thought he called another one.”

Senior Sam Knutson’s PAT gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead with 8:34 to go in the half.

Alameda’s onside kick – an attempt to get the ball back and score again, thereby crushing the Wolverines mentally – failed and Skyview took over at their own 43. The Wolverines went three and out and punted the ball to the Alameda 34.

The Pirates, driving with a first-and-10 at their own 46 fumbled on a counter play and Skyview recovered at the Pirate 41. With 5:14 to go in the half, the Wolverines took an offensive snap inside Pirate territory for the first time. Before they could get the play off, however, they were cited for delay of game and pushed backward five yards.

Behind the hard-nosed running of sophomore Kyle Bowers, the Wolverines pushed deep into Pirate territory, getting to the 25. Bowers had four carries on the drive for 14 yards. Facing a third-and-8, though, the Wolverines pitched to junior Vince Maynes who fumbled. The Wolverines retained possession but a penalty pushed them back to the 35. An incomplete pass on fourth down ended any hopes of scoring Skyview might have harbored .

The second half was a near carbon copy of the first, with both teams concentrating on the run. Alameda kicked off and Skyview went three-and-out.

Facing a third-and-12 from the 45, Alameda’s Gorden tried to pass to Knutson. Knutson tipped the ball and Skyview senior Kyle Ingham pulled it down. The Wolverines had the ball one yard shy of midfield.

The Wolverines needed just four plays to reach end zone treasure. Bowers carried on all four plays. With a first-and-10 from the Pirate 40, Bowers took the ball up the middle, cleared the lines, cut left and raced untouched into the end zone. With 7:45 left in the quarter, the Wolverines elected to try for two. The attempt failed and Alameda clung to a 7-6 lead.

Alameda’s next possession seemed to indicate momentum had left the Pirates’ sails and shifted to the Wolverines. On fourth-and-6 from midfield, the punt snap went awry and the Pirates lost 29 yards, handing the Wolverines the ball at the 21. Another mistake cost the Wolverines 10 yards. Behind the hard running of Bowers and a nice keeper by senior Lawerence Bara, the Wolverines moved the ball down to the 12. On third-and-6 Bara tried to pass and was picked off by junior Vincent Morris, who made a nice, diving catch at the five. Two plays later the quarter ended.

Alameda’s drive consumed the first four minutes of the fourth quarter. The Pirates drove to the 41 where they were forced to punt. Bowers called for a fair catch but fumbled the ball. Alameda was sure it had recovered but the refs said Bowers retained control.

On the next play, the Wolverines pitched to sophomore Lorenzo Gonzales. Montes wasted no time in letting him know he was not happy about the ref’s call. Montes stuck Gonzales with the hardest hit of the day and nailed the Wolverines with a 2-yard loss. A 10-yard penalty put them back even further. Two plays later Montes stuck Gonzales on a pass route and slammed him to the grass as the ball squirted away. Two plays later the Wolverines punted.

With 2:01 left in the game Skyview took over at their own three, still trailing 7-6. On first down Bara faded back to pass. Junior Eddie Jaime pushed past his blocker and drew a bead on Bara. At the same time, Knutson was coming from the middle. Bara tried to scramble to his right. Jaime grabbed his left leg. When Bara pulled out and continued to scramble his left foot stepped about half-a-foot outside the end zone. The official alertly called the safety.

The Pirates victory was secure.

“This game shouldn’t have been that close,” Joseph said. “We’ve got to move the ball better. We still have a lot of work to do.”

With the victory the Pirates now stand at 1-2. Because of a forfeit, the Wolverines official records stands at 1-3. The Pirates have a short week ahead of them, as they play an 0-3 Englewood team Thursday night in the battle for the “Anchor.”

“This is a traveling trophy game for us,” Joseph said. “This staff is 0-7 against Englewood and we’d really like to win that one and bring the anchor home.”

Anchor? Pirates? Arrgh!!!!