Scotts Valley High School’s varsity football team fell 49-35 in a hard-fought battle to the Spanish Springs High School Cougars on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Scotts Valley.
Spanish Springs traveled from Nevada to take on the Falcons and spend an evening at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Scotts Valley hosted the team by preparing a dinner on Friday night in which Scotts Valley Mayor Randy Johnson welcomed the out-of-towners. The following day, the game was played at Scotts Valley High School.
In the contest, the Cougars opened up the scoring on a 4-yard run by CJ Carithers midway through the first quarter. The Falcons answered back on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Jake Lobo, but Carithers scored again with 1:23 left in the first quarter on a 5-yard run.
The Falcons tied the game with 11:23 left in the second on a 15-yard scoring strike from Lobo to receiver Willie Johnston. Johnston finished with seven catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. However, the Cougars took control in the second and third quarters, reeling off 26 straight points to go up 40-14. The scoring burst included three touchdown passes from quarterback Hunter Fralick to receiver Gehrig Parks.
The Falcons fought back in the fourth quarter as Alex Turowski caught a 17-yard touchdown from Lobo, Johnston caught a 6-yard scoring strike and running back Jake Rehnberg caught a 3-yarder from Lobo to cut the deficit to 40-35.
However, with three minutes remaining, Carithers ran in his third touchdown and Parks caught the two point conversion for the final outcome.
Rehnberg had a huge day on the ground, racking up 259 yards on 28 carries and Nick Reyes and Johnston each tallied interceptions.
Lobo was 14-for-23 for 164 yards and four passing touchdowns. The Falcons, 1-1, host Kings Academy of Sunnyvale at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 before completing a tough preseason schedule on by hosting Aragon High School at 2 p.m., Sept. 28.
Cougars fall
San Lorenzo Valley High School was overmatched in a 66-0 loss to Edison Senior High School of Stockton on Saturday, Sept. 14. The Cougars were unable to muster a scoring drive, as Edison went up 44-0 at halftime with a stout run game.
SLV, 1-1, will host Mills High School of Millbrae in non-league action at 2 p.m., Sat. Sept. 21 in Felton.
