Tracy sweeps DYFL championships
by Tracy Press staff
Dec 07, 2009 | 2196 views | 5 5 comments | 23 23 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The Cougars’ James Gibbons, right, moves the ball as Joe Parker clears the way in Saturday’s championship game against the East Stockton Yellow Jackets.
Bob Brownne/Tracy Press
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All three Tracy teams in the Delta Youth Football League Superbowl won their league championships at Bear Creek High School in Stockton Saturday.

The Tracy Cougars novice team (11-2) won its second consecutive league title with a 27-0 win over the East Stockton Yellow Jackets. The Tracy Raiders junior varsity team (13-1) beat the South Stockton Vikings 13-12, and the Tracy Cougars varsity team took a 15-14 win over the North Stockton Bengals to finish their season at 10-3.

Novice: Cougars 27, Yellow Jackets 0

The novice Cougars played a back-and-forth game for the first quarter until they got on the scoreboard early in the second half on quarterback James Gibbons 9-yard run into the end zone. Gibbons also ran in the conversion.

The Yellow Jackets twice charged back in the first half, and got as far as the 3-yard line on one drive but were unable to push past the Cougar defense.

Gibbons scored on a 69-yard run at the start of the fourth quarter and passed to Jake Johnson for the conversion. The Cougars seized the momentum as Mateo Fernandez picked up a Stockton fumble on the 20-yard line and Gibbons followed with another touchdown and conversion.

The defense came through again as Michael Maldanado picked up a fumble to set up another scoring drive, this one finished by Joe Parker, who ran the ball in from 20 yards out to make it 27-0 at the end.

Junior varsity: Raiders 13, Vikings 12

The Vikings took an early lead on a 2-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and held the 6-0 advantage until the fourth quarter. That’s when the Raiders defense pushed deep into Vikings territory before they had to give the ball up on downs 10 yards short of the goal line.

The Raiders defense pushed the Vikings back even further, forced a fumble and Aaron Denholm picked it up for the touchdown. Quarterback Michael Brown passed to Marcus Gammage for the point-after and the 7-6 lead for the Raiders. The Vikings pushed back and took a 12-7 lead with 1:56 left in the game.

The Raiders’ next drive started with Brown’s 45-yard pass play to Kharyem Watson to get to the Stockton 20-yard line, and Demari Taylor made a series of runs, including a 4-yard touchdown run with 40 second left for the 13-12 lead.

Brown led the Raiders offense, completing five of nine passes for 96 yards, and Watson caught three of them for 80 yards.

The Raider defense held up under the Vikings’ offensive drives and threats in Raider territory. Leading defenders were Austin Bishop, Bailey Krogh, Marcos Aguirre, Anthony Karjalainen, Kyle Pendleton, Rashaad Cooper, Aaron Denholm, Ryan King, Jake Serrato, Jacob Taloa, Myles Spencer, Kharyem Watson, and Braedon Oki, who had two interceptions.

Varsity: Cougars 15, Bengals 14

The Tracy Cougars took a 15-8 lead into the half over a fast Stockton team. Marcus Lomas scored on a 9-yard run in the second quarter and Gaige Allen made the conversion. Allen ran the ball in again for the Cougars’ second touchdown and Lomas made the conversion.

The Cougars’ ground assault rolled up 337 yards, led by Lomas with 182 yards on 22 carries. Allen ran for 90 yards on 12 carries and Kenny Daye had 15 carries for 57 yards.

The Cougars gang-tackled all day, led by Daye with six tackles, Lomas with four tackles, and Wesley Thompson with three tackles. Daye, Lomas, and Jaelin Ratliff all broke up passes, and reserve safety Johnny Fisher had an interception.
Comments
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prouddad
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December 11, 2009
Just want to say how proud I am of all our young football players and coaches. Tracy has always been know as being a "FOOTBALL" town and this 09` season again validates this. Oh man..that Novice Cougars defense is off the hook. Jimmy Cochran #26, Harrison Difuntorum #53, Brody Sarsfield #57, Fabian #41, Roberts #24, Velasco #42.....One of the best defenses I have ever seen.
Duckfan3
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December 10, 2009
Congrat's to TRACY Raiders and Cougars. The JV cougars had a rough season, but I believe the parents had more to do with it then the staff or the players. Seeing how some of the parents acted during the Raiders game was very sad. GREAT JOB COUGARS & RAIDERS and to the staff of both teams you made TRACY VERY PROUD.
ladymekole
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December 08, 2009
Congratulations to BOTH Tracy teams. Tracy Raiders have a reputation for showing class at the games. Just as bulldog4life stated, most of these kids are friends aff of the field... respect should be shown for both teams. tracy Raiders and Cougars... you made Tracy proud.
bulldog4life
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December 08, 2009
Good JOB to all of TRACY teams..I only wish that the JV Cougar Coaches could of displayed more respect for The Tracy Raider JV team during their game. I witnessed the Raider Fans cheering the Cougar teams on. At the very least you could of stayed nuteral. It was sad to see grown adults cheering for the Stockton Vikings to beat the local Tracy Raiders to the point of chest bumping, high five and other forms of cheering. Why would you cheer for another town to win? The kids learn from the coaches so is this what you teach the kids? They all are friends in school but you may be teaching them that it is ok to be a bad sport. It seems that you are not there for the kids? maybe it is you were there for your own egos.

Come on TRACY fans this is YOUTH sports..Lets teach them resepect on and off the fields.
JonnoB
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December 07, 2009
Congratulations to all of the Tracy teams. Good job to my boy Noah on the JV Raiders and to my 'other' boys at the Varsity Cougars.


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