WATSONVILLE — What rust?
Despite not having played since Sept. 29 because of a postponed game, the Watsonville High Wildcatz looked in sync and at full power in Friday night’s 41-21 Monterey Bay League Pacific division beatdown of Monterey High at Emmett M. Geiser Field.
“We got a lot of practice in and we got [healthy],” Watsonville senior running back Evan Delozier said of the time off. “We were ready to go.”
The game was tied at 14-all heading into the half but Watsonville (5-2, 2-1) exploded for 27 points in the third quarter to secure a much-needed league win over Monterey (3-5, 2-2) and keep its playoff hopes alive.
The Wildcatz, who were on bye two weeks ago and last week had their game against Gilroy High moved back to Nov. 9 because of poor air quality stemming from the ongoing fires in California’s Wine Country, have three regular season games left and will need to win at least two of them to put themselves in position to earn their first playoff berth since 2009.
Watsonville is also still very much alive in the MBL-P title race and will try to prove it is a true contender next week at Christopher High.
“We still have three more games left and we’re just going to play hard and see what happens,” said Watsonville junior running back Matthew Barcelo.
Watsonville’s three-headed rushing attack ran wild. Delozier totaled 175 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries, Barcelo ran for 158 yards and a score on just 11 totes and senior Johnny Bravo ran seven times for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Bravo also caught a 24-yard score from senior quarterback Isaac Baltazar to tie the game at 7-all in the second quarter.
Monterey retook the lead just two plays later on a 36-yard touchdown connection between junior quarterback Evans Charles and senior receiver Nathaniel Gwin. But Delozier took off for a 52-yard run on Watsonville’s next possession and set up a 15-yard touchdown run from Bravo to tie the game at the break.
The game was stalled for 35 minutes just two plays into the second half, as Monterey junior defensive lineman Sam Regier was carried off on a stretcher as a precaution after feeling pain in his neck and spine from a knee to the head.
Following the stoppage, Watsonville would not be denied. Delozier smashed ahead for scoring runs of 21, eight and 50 yards before the start of the final stanza and Barcelo also found the end zone on a 24-yard sprint.
A turnover on downs set up the Wildcatz’s second score of the quarter and a Brayden Arnold interception set up the third.
“We just adjusted,” Arnold said of the Watsonville defense coming out of the intermission. “We knew what they were going to attack with and it worked out perfect.”
Charles completed eight of his 18 passing attempts for 99 yards with the one touchdown and interception, while also rushing for 55 yards and picking up some crucial first downs throughout. Junior running back Darius Garrard had an OK night, finishing with 62 yards on 18 carries, but the rest of Monterey’s speedy playmakers couldn’t get much going.
Junior receiver Iris Hutchins and sophomore running back Janias Thomas both scored rushing touchdowns but finished with just 20 yards rushing combined.
The Toreadores also continuously hurt themselves with personal foul and unsportsmanlike penalties on all four of Watsonville’s second-half scoring drives. Monterey finished with 10 penalties for 150 yards.
“We took advantage of that,” Delozier said. “They basically gave it to us.”
Watsonville’s duo of junior linebackers Carlos Ortiz and Esteban Reyes each had a tackle for loss.
•••
Watsonville 41, Monterey 21
Watsonville 0-14-27-0—41
Monterey 0-14-0-7—21
MON — Janias Thomas 2 yard run (Alexis Lara Martinez kick), 10:21
WAT — Johnny Bravo 24 yard reception from Isaac Baltazar (Diego Moreno kick), 5:04
MON — Nathaniel Gwin 36-yard reception from Evans Charles (Lara Martinez kick), 4:55
WAT — Bravo 15 yard run (Moreno kick), 2:31
WAT — Evan Delozier 21 yards run (Moreno kick), 9:45
WAT — Matthew Barcelo 24 yard run (Moreno kick), 7:23
WAT — Delozier 8 yard run (kick failed), 5:50
WAT — Delozier 50 yard run (Moreno kick), 1:29
MON — Iris Hutchins 3 yard run (Lara Martinez kick), 9:41
TEAM STATS
WAT | MON
First downs 15 | 15
Rushes-yards 46-398 | 39-136
Passing yards 24 | 99
Comp.-Att.-Int. 1-2-1 | 8-19-1
Fumbles-lost 0-0 | 2-0
Penalties-yards 7-52 | 10-150
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING — Watsonville: Evan Delozier 17-175, Matthew Barcelo 11-158, Johnny Bravo 7-51, Jose Gonzalez 7-1, Isaac Baltazar 1-7, Isaiah Hernandez 1-6, Fernando Gonzalez 1-0. Monterey: Darius Garrard 18-62, Evans Charles 10-55, Janias Thomas 5-15, Tim Byrd 2-6, Iris Hutchins 2-5, Azjani McGill 1-4, Alexis Lara Martinez 1- minus-12.
PASSING — Watsonville: Isaac Baltazar 1-2-24-1. Monterey: Evans Charles 8-18-99-1, Darius Garrard 0-1.
RECEIVING — Watsonville: Johnny Bravo 1-24. Monterey: Iris Hutchins 3-33, Nathaniel Gwin 2-47, Darius Garrard 1-7, Janias Thomas 1-6, Connor Cobb 1-6.
DEFENSIVE STATS — Interceptions: Watsonville 1 (Brayden Arnold), Monterey 1(Leo Amayo).
Records: Watsonville 5-2, 2-1 MBL-P; Monterey 3-5, 2-2
