Damien couldn’t have scripted a better or more effective start against their highly ranked visitors from Glendora in Friday’s’ 2019 season opener.
The Spartans went 15 plays on the game’s opening drive, ate up nearly nine minutes of clock and went up 7-0 when Jordan Barton hit Justin Ponce for a 3-yard TD pass.
And they did so on fourth and goal.
On top of that, the Spartans defense allowed just three Glendora plays from scrimmage in the first quarter.
But that’s when the second-ranked team in Division 5 flexed their collective muscle and the Tartans ran off to the 24-7 victory.
Three two-sport athletes (Jacob Gonzalez, Matt Gonzales & Cade Marshman) played large roles in the victory, while their baseball coach, Dan Henley, watched from the sidelines with pride.
Jacob Gonzalez was solid and steady at quarterback.
The future Ole Miss baseball player threw a pair of TD strikes to Matt Gonzales, who also stars for the Tartans’ baseball program.
Both of Matt Gonzales’ catches on Friday were TD’s.
The first was a 24-yard score early in the second quarter and his second came from 19 yards out with 1:20 to go in the first half.
It also gave the Tartans their first lead of the game.
Matt Gonzales also blocked a punt that gave GHS some momentum.
Jake Peralta added a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter and Jacob Gonzalez put the exclamation mark on the victory when he scampered in from 28 yards out in the fourth quarter.
Damien did have one TD run called back on a holding penalty in the second quarter, but the Spartans could not regain their offensive chemistry that opened the game with such promise.
Cade Marshman caught five passes for 58 yards and Xzavier Ford gained 80 yards on 20 carries for GHS.
Chase Carter led the Damien ground attack with 45 yards on 16 carries.
Blake Boucher caught five passes for 44 yards.
Jacob Gonzalez finished with approximately 175 yards of total offense, 140 through the air and another 35 yards or so with his feet,
For game highlights and interviews with Glendora players (Cade Marshman, Matt Gonzales and Jacob Gonzalez), as well as Tartans’ coach Brandon Rohrer, please click on the YouTube link just below.
Up next: Glendora will host Roosevelt next Friday at Citrus College.
Damien will make the five-mile trip to Claremont to take on the Wolfpack.
Box Score:
Glendora: 0-14-3-7-(24)
Damien: 7-0-0-0-(7)
Scoring:
D: Justin Ponce 3 pass from Jordan Barton (Ben D’aquilla kick)
G: Matt Gonzales 24 pass from Jacob Gonzalez (Jake Peralta kick)
G: Matt Gonzales 19 pass from Jacob Gonzalez (Jake Peralta kick)
G: Jake Peralta 23 FG
G: Jacob Gonzalez 28 run (Jake Peralta kick)
Records: Glendora (1-0); Damien (0-1)
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