Cardinals, Cougars collide in Halloween confrontation

<p>No pun intended, but tonight’s football Halloween bash featuring undefeated Cardinal Newman and Rancho Cotate could be scary good.</p><p>Neither team has stumbled yet in seven games, mainly because they are loaded with talent, from Newman’s dynamic backfield and precision passing game to Rancho Cotate’s hard-charging defensive line and deceptive running game.</p><p>And even should it rain tonight, the North Bay League contest will be held on Rancho’s new synthetic field, making it almost a moot point. Perhaps the wet stuff will cut down on an estimated crowd of 3,000, but don’t count on it.</p><p>Ukiah coach Chris Burris saw Rancho Cotate up close last week, his team losing in the final minutes, 35-32. Ukiah still has to play Newman, but Burris has seen enough of the Cardinals to know they’re very good.</p><p>“I know Rancho’s big line can wear you down, No. 77 (Adam Murray) blocked three of our guys on one play,” Burris said. “But the offense might be too one-dimensional. You’ve got to be able to sustain drives against Newman and keep the ball away from Newman’s offense.”</p><p>Montgomery has played both Rancho and Newman and gave Newman it’s first test on turf last week. The Cardinals came alive in the third quarter with 28 points and nearly hit their game average of 46 points.</p><p>“They’re just so precise on offense,” Franci said of Newman. They’re the best balanced team.”</p><p>Burris and Franci both say Rancho could win and both agree that ball control is the favorable method for achieving victory against the Cardinals.</p><p>“Newman is going to score,” Franci said. “You have to keep the ball out of their hands as much as possible,” Burris added.</p><p>Cardinal Newman coach Paul Cronin said he’s not emphasizing closing in on a league championship with a victory or staying unbeaten.</p><p>“We just like playing good teams and Rancho is a very good team,” Cronin said.</p><p>Cronin is in his sixth season at Newman. His first year, 2003, was the last time the Cardinals lost to the Cougars, 25-20. Since then, Newman has won six times, including twice last year and in 2005 when the two met in the regular season and the playoffs. Included was a 26-23 Cardinal Newman win in overtime in the 2005 playoffs and last year’s 26-7 win in the North Coast Section 3A Redwood Empire championship game.</p><p>Rancho coach Ed Conroy agrees that ball control and using time on the clock are key tonight. In tonight’s game, turnovers are worse than getting egged.</p><p>“I think we’re bigger and with the speed element we can match up,” Conroy said. “Their running backs scare the heck out of me.”</p><p>Conroy believes he’s got to mix up coverages on defense and, as difficult as it may be, put pressure on Newman quarterback Randy Wright, who is completing 70 percent of his passes, but can also run the ball.</p><p>Rancho’s defensive line of ends Jonathon Torres and Anthony Alicea and tackles Murray and Bud Guinn have helped the Ranch post 42 sacks in seven games. Torres and Alicea have 10 each.</p><p>Torres and Alicea also try and push run plays toward the middle, for the 6-7, 310-pound Murray and the 6-3, 295-pound Guinn.</p><p>Conversely, while Newman’s defense, particularly its line is not as big, the Cardinals are quick to the ball and rarely is it just one defender making the tackle.</p><p>Jeff Badger and Joe Ferguson, Newman’s 1-2 running punch, also are top tacklers as linebackers.</p><p>The only ones maybe not looking forward to the game is Cronin’s children. “They want to know why dad can’t go trick or treating.”</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht at 521-5275 or rich.rupprecht@pressdemocrat.com.</p>