Sims runs Trojans over Sonoma

Fullback Ricky Sims rushed for 156 yards and four touchdowns as Petaluma made quick work of the mistake-prone Sonoma Dragons, 34-0, at Durst Field on Friday. It was the eighth consecutive win for the undefeated Trojans, and the 200th victory in the career of veteran football coach Steve Ellison.

Ellison acknowledge many well wishers following the win, including the reading of a special message of congratulations from long-time friend and successful professional coach Mike Holmgren.

Sims played only a portion of the second half, but put an exclamation mark on the solid ground game displayed by the Trojans with a 37-yard touchdown run before the reserves cleaned up the rest of the way. The fourth scoring run by the 215-pound senior capped a 99-yard march by Petaluma after it had rushed to a 27-0 halftime lead.

From the opening kickoff, Sonoma found a way to shoot itself in the foot. The Dragons turned the ball over five times on two fumbles and three pass interceptions, and were flagged for enough penalties to cripple most drives until the final seconds of the game.

Sims scored on runs of 3, 15, and 5 yards in the first half. Quarterback Mike Russell also got solidly into the ground attack by galloping 40 yards untouched for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Ball hawking defenders Chris Kane, Joe Soares and junior Tyler Tuck all turned in interceptions for Petaluma, while Dalton Johnson and Justin Wambold made big plays on Dragon fumbles.

Overall, it was a crunching ground game by the Trojans that made the difference. Petaluma ran for 349 total yards behind some crisp blocking up front and the ball handling of Russell, which allowed runners to spring free and pick up big yardage.

Sean Sullivan quietly rambled for 93 yards on only 12 carries behind the blocking of Sims and the ball skills of Russell.

Ellison has been at this business far too many seasons to allow the celebration to overshadow next weeks important game at Windsor.

“They have a very good team and will be dangerous for us next Friday,” he said. “Many of our kids played last year when Cameron Erion went off on us. They have not forgotten that game.”

Kane, linebacker Blake Olson and Wambold of the senior-dominated Trojans all had outstanding defensive games in the first three quarters.

In the final minutes, Dragon quarterback Steve Murden engineered a 70-yard drive which included three long pass completions, but the Petaluma reserves did not break inside the 10-yard line, and held on to preserve the shutout.