Injuries cost Corsairs against Hartnell

by ANDREW BUTLER - TIMESTANDARD

College of the Redwoods football was outmatched and outplayed by visiting Hartnell College, falling 62-14 Saturday afternoon at the Redwood Bowl.

“Hartnell brought a very good team up here to play today,” Redwoods head coach Frank Borba said. “I was hoping we could hold up, especially against their defensive line, but we didn’t do a good enough job of that today.”

The Corsairs (1-2) initially looked to be up to the task of defending Hartnell (3-0) as they stopped the visiting team on its first two drives of the afternoon. Redwoods even took the first lead of the day after Hartnell’s punter bobbled the fourth down snap and allowed the ball to go into the end zone, giving Redwoods a safety and an early 2-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

It was during the ensuing Redwoods possession that things took a turn for the worst for the Corsairs. Quarterback Brody Lucero was hit hard in the shoulder while trying to avoid a sack and left the game with a left shoulder separation just over nine minutes into the ballgame. The freshman quarterback would not return for the rest of Saturday’s game. Borba said it is doubtful Lucero will be able to play next week when the Corsairs host Contra Costa College. Corsairs wide receiver Angelo Flores also left the game in the first half after re-aggravating a rib injury. His status for next week is unknown.

The Corsairs best chance of upsetting Hartnell left with Lucero as Redwoods would struggle to gain a first down for the majority of the rest of the afternoon.

“You could see us lose focus right away after Brody for injured,” Borba said. “It took the wind out of our sails.”

The Corsairs’ backup quarterbacks, Moise Francois and Alex Adams, both saw action after Lucero’s injury as Borba tried to find a steady hand for his team.

“We prepares Brody to be the starter all week so he was more ready to handle all the pressure Hartnell threw at us,” Borba said.

Neither Francois nor Adams were able to find much success as Hartnell’s defensive line made a home for itself in the Corsairs backfield for much of the afternoon.

Borba said he split time between Francois and Adams for the remainder of the game to give both of the true-freshman quarterbacks some experience before one of them likely takes the field as a starter next week.

Hartnell’s defense, whether it was Lucero, Francois or Adams under center for the Corsairs, blitzed and applied pressure on more plays than it didn’t. This reporter was unable to get a final tally of Hartnell’s total sacks before deadline, but on at least eight occasions Hartnell brought down the Corsairs quarterback.

Offensively Hartnell found it’s rhythm during its third series when it’s quarterback Isaiah Ariolla-Randalle hooked up with receiver Duante Moore for a 79-yard touchdown rejection which saw Moore make five Redwoods defensive players miss tackles on his way to the end zone.

The Corsairs gave the ball right back to Hartnell on their ensuing possession after Adams, under heavy duress, fumbled. Hartnell recovered and began it’s drive on the Corsairs’ 30 yard line. Juan Villafan gave the ball right back to his Corsairs after recording an interception during Hartnell’s following possession. Francois came in at quarterback for the Corsairs after the turnover and drove his team to midfield before fumbling the ball and giving it right back to Hartnell.

Minutes later Hartnell’s Jeff Weimer rushed for a 10-yard touchdown on a reverse to put his team up 14-2 late in the first quarter.

Hartnell would score three more touchdowns in the second quarter despite a handful of offensive holding and blocking penalties. It would also keep the Corsairs from scoring before halftime, despite more-than-a-few pass-interference and defensive holding penalties.

“The penalties were frustrating, but they are things we can’t control,” Hartnell’s head coach Matt Collins said. “Despite the calls, I thought our defense stayed solid and did a heck of a job today. I also thought our offense did a much better job finishing drives today than it had in our previous games.”

Ariolla-Randalle finished with four touchdown passes for Hartnell in the win.

Francois found some space on the ground and scored once for the the Corsairs in the second half on a one-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

Marcus Finney recorded a touchdown reception, his fourth of the year, on a four-yard pass from Adams late in the third quarter.