Salesian Ends Hounds' Playoff Run

Coach Tom Kirkpatrick and the Healdsburg Greyhounds football team

The Salesian Pride, the reigning NCS Division 4 champions, are a bigger, stronger team that plays very physical football.  The size advantage proved to be too much for the Hounds.  The Pride controlled the game from the very beginning, winning 35-6.   

The Pride offensive line, anchored by 6’8,” 315 lb., tackle Faatiga "Freddie" Tagaloa, opened holes for their running game and provided quarterback Nick Boyett the time needed to complete passes. 

The Pride came out the gates quickly, scoring on their first possession on a 20-yard run by junior running back Michael Page, jr.  Page scored again with 4:56 left in the first quarter on a 23 yard run, bringing the score to 14-0 at the end of the quarter.   

The large Pride defensive line, again anchored by Tagaloa, stopped the Hound offensive line from opening holes for star halfback  he Pride secondary kept tight coverage on the Hound receivers, constantly knocking away passes.   

Neither offense could get much going during most of the second quarter.  Salesian scored on a 6-yard run by senior running back Marcial Malic, bringing the score to 21-0 with 44.2 seconds left in the half.  Malic was able to make significant gains all game due to the outstanding effort by this front line.   

The Pride defense kept the Hounds quite the first half, limiting the number of first downs the Hounds were able to convert.  The Hounds finally came alive with time running out in the first half.   

Cervantes was able to break out for a big run, pushing the ball across the midfield line.  Opperman completed a 20-yard pass to Charlie Conrad. The pass was deflected by Salesian’s Page, but Conrad was able to reel in the ball, holding on as two Pride defenders took him down.   

Opperman grounded the ball on the next play to stop the clock.  With time running out, Opperman launched a 26-yard pass to wide receiver Richard Grant on the goal line.  Grant was tightly covered by Salesian’s Page, but was able to push his way backwards over the goal line with 8.3 seconds left in the half. 

The Hounds tried a fake point after kick and Opperman launched a pass into the end zone, only to have it knocked away by the Pride defender.   

The second half belonged to the Pride, who scored twice more in the third quarter.  First on a pass from QB Boyette to wide receiver Travis Earby who ran the ball 80-yards for the score with 9:17 left in the quarter. 

The second score came with 1:01 remaining in the third on a screen pass to Page, who took in in for a 29-yard touchdown.  The third quarter ended with the score 35-6. 

The Hound defense was able to slow down the Salesian offense in the fourth quarter, making several crucial stops and keeping the Pride out of the end zone for the remainder of the game.  

Healdsburg had one more strong chance to score, driving inside Salesian three-yard line on a series on strong plays,  However, a personal foul and other penalties pushed the Hounds back to the 46. 

Unable to get the time needed to execute plays, Opperman was called for intentionally grounding the ball, ending the Hounds' chance at another score.   

Salesian will face Ferndale in the NCS Division 4 championship game.  Ferndale defeated Fortuna 27-17 Saturday afternoon.