{"id":1387091,"date":"2022-11-21T12:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T20:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pajaronian.com\/?p=1387091"},"modified":"2022-11-21T12:00:26","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T20:00:26","slug":"mariners-fall-to-st-ignatius-in-ccs-semifinals-high-school-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pajaronian.com\/mariners-fall-to-st-ignatius-in-ccs-semifinals-high-school-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Mariners fall to St. Ignatius in CCS semifinals | High school football"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SAN FRANCISCO\u2014<\/strong>Aptos High senior Caden Prichard stood on the sideline Friday night as he watched the seconds tick away in his final season.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With tears rolling down his cheeks, he gave every one of his teammates one last hug after the No. 3-seeded Mariners lost to No. 2 St. Ignatius in the Central Coast Section Division II semifinals Nov. 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prichard also hugged and thanked the coaching staff before walking off the football field one last time in a Mariners uniform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did put a lot of heart into it, it was a tough way to go out,\u201d Prichard said. \u201cWe came into this game knowing it was going to be a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mariners\u2019 offense was responsible for three turnovers including a critical fumble that Prichard lost midway through the second quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI bounced off the tackle, spun out of it and someone put a helmet on the ball, popped right out,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s on me. I made a mistake. It took me a while to shake it off but I bounced out of it. Unfortunately it was detrimental to the game but I can\u2019t go back now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prichard had 42 yards rushing on nine carries and three catches for 58 yards receiving, including a 30-yard touchdown reception to begin the third quarter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Wildcats scored just seven points off the turnovers but it was all they needed to secure the victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish we could\u2019ve done something different but when you get this far whoever plays the cleanest usually wins,\u201d said Aptos coach Randy Blankenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Ignatius will play against West Catholic Athletic League rival No. 5 Bellarmine after a 21-17 win over top-seeded Wilcox on Friday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophomore quarterback Soren Hummel completed 16-of-21 pass attempts for 188 yards and two touchdown passes in the first quarter that gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hummel spread the ball out to seven different receivers, especially junior Moe Barnum who finished with 53 receiving yards and three catches including a 20-yard touchdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hummel also had help from sophomore running back Jarious Hogan, who finished with a game-high 107 yards on 15 carries and a pair of touchdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur run game was amazing tonight and that kind of opened up everything,\u201d Hummel said. \u201cBeing able to settle down into drives really gave us that upper hand tonight.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prichard said they planned well and knew exactly what the Wildcats were going to run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Mariners\u2019 defense couldn\u2019t figure out a solution to get off the field and a pair of turnovers by the offense in the first half didn\u2019t help, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere were errors but stuff happens,\u201d Prichard said. \u201cIt\u2019s football and I\u2019m going to miss that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Ignatius junior defensive back Kenji Nakashita recovered Prichard\u2019s second quarter fumble in the end zone that put a potential game-tying drive to a halt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aptos quarterback Matt Hood also threw an interception just before halftime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe just have to not turn the ball over,\u201d Blankenship said. \u201cThe kids fought so hard all year long. It\u2019s just a shame we didn\u2019t play our best in the first half.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aptos came storming out of the gates in the second half by putting together a 12-play, 73-yard drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was capped off with a 30-yard touchdown reception from Hood to Prichard, which cut the deficit to 21-14 midway through the third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hood completed 8-of-18 pass attempts for 110 yards with one touchdown and one interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe definitely had some momentum coming out of halftime,\u201d Prichard said. \u201cOur seniors stepped up and just kind of feeling the end coming, it\u2019s a scary feeling. I think that made our players step up and give everything that we had.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, that was the last time the Mariners would see the end zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Ignatius responded with a well orchestrated drive of its own and extended the lead to 28-14 after Hogan\u2019s second TD of the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turnover woes continued to plague the Mariners following a fumble by senior running back Dante Aranda, who lost the ball in the fourth quarter on the Wildcats\u2019 34-yard line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aptos\u2019 defense managed to force St. Ignatius to punt the ball for the first time in the game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the Mariners failed to convert on a 4th-and-long situation, which saw their season come to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of the three turnovers, Blankenship added they were also paper thin in terms of numbers on the field and the Mariners weren\u2019t at full strength at defense.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry it ended this way but when they look back at their career they gotta know they put great effort in and can\u2019t be prouder of them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aptos linebacker Collin Mennie thought they had the effort but in the end it was the Wildcats who played the better game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think in the first half on defense we weren\u2019t quite as physical enough, and those turnovers didn\u2019t help,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it was just the physicality in the first half on defense. I thought the offense was doing good, it was just we had a few turnovers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aptos set some lofty goals at the beginning of the year including a run for this year\u2019s Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mariners earned a share of the crown in a three-way tie with Palma and Salinas high schools. It was the first Gabilan Division title for Blankenship and the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prichard said despite coming up one game short of reaching the CCS final he\u2019s glad they were able to have the kind of ride they had this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love all my boys here, I\u2019m going to miss every one of them,\u201d Prichard said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a sad day tonight but we had a hell of a season. I\u2019m glad that it went the way it did.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n