APTOS — One game down.
Six more to go.
Hunter Matys and Marcos Reyes combined to rush for 230 yards and four touchdowns, Fisher Johnson returned a fumble 88 yards for a score and the Aptos High Mariners passed the first test of their Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan division season with flying colors, thumping San Benito High, 42-20, Friday night.
Aptos (4-0, 1-0) totaled 370 yards rushing on offense, and recovered a trio of fumbles on defense to notch its fourth straight blowout win of the year and prove its undefeated preseason was no fluke.
Runner-up finishers in the now-defunct Monterey Bay League Gabilan division last season, the Mariners have hopes of winning the inaugural PCAL-Gabilan title this fall.
“[This win] is a message to our league that the teams we played in our preseason weren’t just pushovers,” said Reyes, a senior who also made multiple tackles on defense at linebacker. “We’re actually about that action.”
Aptos High’s Marcos Reyes breaks down the Mariners 42-20 win over San Benito High. #RPsports pic.twitter.com/1Qybg2w393
— Tony Nunez (@Tony_Nunez) September 22, 2018
The Mariners jumped out to a 28-0 lead thanks to Johnson’s opportunistic scoop-and-score midway through the second quarter, and Reyes’ 24-yard burst up the gut of the Balers’ (1-3, 0-1) defense sent them into the break up 35-7.
Reyes added his second rushing score of the night from five yards away on Aptos’ first possession of the second half, and the Mariners cruised to the finish despite some shaky defensive play over the final two quarters.
“We executed really well the first half — I was proud of them,” said Aptos head coach Randy Blankenship. “I wasn’t happy with the second half, because I didn’t get to play my seconds very much. We’ll get better.”
It’s the first time the Mariners have started a season with a 4-0 record since 2014, a year in which they went 12-1 and won a Central Coast Section title.
“We knew [the Balers] would be a powerhouse, like they always are,” Matys said. “We just wanted to play Aptos football. Do what we do.”
Aptos High’s Hunter Matys talks about the Mariners 42-20 win over San Benito High. #RPsports pic.twitter.com/UyOW7LNKFd
— Tony Nunez (@Tony_Nunez) September 22, 2018
Matys passed just three times, but shredded San Benito’s defense with his wheels. The senior quarterback rushed 13 times for 121 yards and the two scores.
His 17-yard scamper on a broken passing play gave the Mariners a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, and his 15-yard keeper around the edge of the defense in the second quarter pushed their lead to 21-0.
Hunter Matys with another TD, 15 yards this time. Aptos up 21-0 with 8:33 left in Q2. #RPsports pic.twitter.com/U5MJB4fB3U
— Tony Nunez (@Tony_Nunez) September 22, 2018
San Benito responded to Matys’ second score with its best drive of the first half. Senior quarterback Slade Wilson led the Balers inside the Mariners’ 10, but Aptos short-circuited the scoring opportunity with Johnson’s long defensive touchdown.
Wilson tossed a pair of touchdowns to senior running back Stevan Navarro, and junior fullback Eric Green rushed for a score, but the Balers could not dig themselves out of the early deficit.
“We lost the turnover battle,” said Wilson, who made his first start of the season after sitting out with hip problems for the first three weeks. “They were able to score off of our turnovers, and that really hurt us in the long run.”
Aptos junior fullback Josh Powell plowed ahead for 71 yards on 12 carries, and also recovered a fumble on defense.
Senior wingback Bubba Gallardo finished with 45 yards rushing and a touchdown on just five touches.
Junior defensive back Juziah Rivero recovered a fumble.
Aptos next week will try to notch its first 5-0 start to a season since 2003 against Seaside High back at Trevin Dilfer Field.
In other week 5 high school football action:
M.V.C. 34, Soledad 19 – Daniel Brierley rushed for pair of touchdowns, Nick Bautista made two interceptions and Monte Vista Christian outlasted host Soledad High to hand Jubenal Rodriguez his first win as head coach, and start PCAL-Mission division play on the right foot.
Scott Tinsley, Quinn Alexander and Nick Fischer also scored rushing touchdowns for the Mustangs (1-3, 1-0), whom had scored just 28 points on the season before Friday night’s explosion.
M.V.C. will host Carmel High next week.
Monterey 30, N.M.C. 6 – The North Monterey County High Condors could not keep pace with the Monterey High Toreadores in Friday night’s PCAL-Cypress division loss in Castroville.
N.M.C. (2-3, 0-1) will try to bounce back next week against Pacific Grove High in the final game of a five-game home stand that began on Aug. 31.
