Madera South looks to build after loss
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera South running back Dallas Hansen breaks off a 40-yard run in the first quarter of Friday’s loss to Kerman.
The Madera South Stallions’ football team fought tooth and nail, but couldn’t match the Kerman Lions’ offense as they scored 28 unanswered points to open the season 2-0 at Memorial Stadium.
“We knew we had a long way to go coming off the scrimmage to get our unit going, and we made great strides. There is enough on the film to build off of,” Madera South head coach Matt Johnson said. “Honestly, we were just going in telling the kids in the morning that all we can control is our effort and how we’re going to go fly around.
“We’re really not ready to lay something out and make it look good yet execution-wise, but everybody can bring effort every day and I thought our team had great effort and energy.”
Both teams combined for more than 600 yards of offense, but also 179 yards of penalties. Both Madera South and Kerman were penalized a combined 25 times.
The scoring though, came through the hands of Kerman quarterback Gavin Layton and running back Colton Smith. Layton completed 13 of 20 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns — a 64-yard and a 4-yard — to Ryan Troutman, who hauled in six catches for 151 yards.
Kerman’s ground game was equally impressive. The Lions rushed 28 times for 231 yards and three scores. Smith led their backfield with 128 yards on 13 carries along with all three touchdowns.
Madera South hung in there and took the punches and they countered, as well. The Stallion defense forced two turnovers, including an interception late in the first quarter by sophomore Alberto Torres and a sack strip in the third quarter.
Offensively, Dallas Hansen, Mathew Posas and Steven Alaniz handled the majority of the workload. The trio combined for more than 25 carries. Alaniz had the lone touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but Hansen was the best player on the field for Madera South.
Whether on offense or defense, Hansen makes his impact on the game. Hansen rushed 13 times for 69 yards, along with a 40-yard run in the first quarter. After Alaniz broke off a run of 20 yards a play earlier, Hansen torched the Lions with a scintillating run as he found the hole and fired through. Hansen was one of many who kept grinding despite the score line.
“We could’ve gone in at halftime and kind of chipped it in. I’ve seen that happen before, but these guys came out fighting,” Johnson said. “Our motto was to win the second half and short of a play there at the end, that’s a good second half of football for us. We just weren’t clicking. We had a lot of guys injured and a lot of guys we held out for this week.”
Unfortunately, Madera South’s most promising drive — six plays, 60 yards, ended in an interception by Joel Galvan.
That opened a revolving door at quarterback. Galvan later succumbed to a sprained ankle and Johnson decided to give other players a look at quarterback, including Alaniz and Jaden Cisneros.
“We weren’t getting everything we needed out of that position and around here we’re playing with house money so why not give everybody a chance to get on film. Know one ever thinks they never got a chance, everybody gets an opportunity. It’s not just because you’re down, but we’re not going to have guys who’ve been committed all summer long and not get a shot. All three guys did this summer and it wasn’t like one was just dominating. We had to get film on all three of those guys. They’ve all worked equally.
“Steven Alaniz is more of a slot weapon running back, but he gives us a pop in the run game stuff. Jaden is the young junior and he is always there and mentally into the picture of what we’re trying to do and Joel, just look at the guy. His measurables make him look like the guy, but we got to work him and get him better every day. There was a plan going in to get all those guys on film and that’s what we did.”
The Stallions look forward to a trip to Wasco on Friday, where they’ll face off with the Tigers, who are 1-0 on the season after defeating Tehachapi.
