Game of the Week: Maria Carrillo, Petaluma in rematch of last season’s thriller

Petaluma and Maria Carrillo delivered one of the most entertaining battles of the season in their meeting last year.

The Trojans lost all-league starting quarterback Henry Ellis to injury early on but got a heroic effort out of backup Asher Levy to secure a dramatic win. Levy connected with Dawson Shaw for a game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. Levy then drilled the PAT to finish off the 21-20 victory.

That game has not been forgotten by the returning Pumas and it will surely serve as motivation heading into their rematch this Friday night at Petaluma High School, The Press Democrat’s Game of the Week. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

“I think it’s fair to say that we all had a pretty bitter taste with how that one wrapped up for us last year,” Maria Carrillo head coach Jay Higgins said at practice Tuesday.

The Pumas (1-1) and Trojans (2-1) head into Friday’s game from different directions. Petaluma put together a defensive show in a 34-14 win over Analy last week, while Maria Carrillo opted to go for a game-winning touchdown rather than attempt a game-tying field goal in the final seconds of a 22-19 loss to Benicia.

The Trojans are 2-0 in their last two meetings with the Pumas, but both Higgins and Petaluma head coach Rick Krist expect a tight game this Friday.

“I thought we were a clear favorite last year and they took us all the way until the last play of the game,” Krist said. “(Higgins) does a really good job. You prepare for them, but they have this way of moving the football and playing really good defense against us. We have to be on our best for the game this week.”

Both teams rely on the run game heavily in their offense, Petaluma with its triple-option and Carrillo with its Wing-T. Both teams also feature strong lines on both sides of the ball.

Through three games, Petaluma’s offense has been led by senior running backs Chase Miller and Ed Berncich, who have combined for 738 of Petaluma’s 873 rushing total yards and eight of its 10 rushing touchdowns. Miller (477 yards, 9.7 yards per carry) has emerged as the lead back and doubles as a standout linebacker in a hard-nosed defensive unit that also features Berncich and London Sundell (the reigning Vine Valley Athletic League Defensive Player of the Year) as one of the most imposing defensive end duos in the area.

Though they equaled their season high in points against Analy last week, it was the Trojans’ defense that impressed Krist the most.

“I thought our defense played amazing last game,” he said. “We really prepared and I think they carried us last week. I didn’t think we played all that well offensively even though we had 300 yards of offense, but I think we can get better.”

Maria Carrillo doesn’t post its stats but certainly has a few players that have stood out early on. Senior running back Wyatt Olsen has five touchdowns, including a scoop-and-score fumble recovery, and sophomore quarterback Cooper Bluestone passed for three scores in their season-opening 52-0 win over Skyline and ran for another last week against Benicia.

Domenic Kayed and Noah Lane, all-league linemen last year as juniors, anchor the Pumas’ line and have posted multiple tackles for loss in both games this season.

Higgins also raved about the emergence of Bluestone, who spent last year on the JV squad.

“He stepped right into the huddle and did his job,” Higgins said. “He’s not a rah-rah guy, he’s not going to jump up and down and yell at guys when they make mistakes, which is a strength of his. He does his job and every single player on this varsity team advocated for him before I could even say anything. It was a neat thing to see.”

As for Friday night, Higgins likes his team’s chances as underdogs. The two teams have familiarity with each other after facing off the last two years and scrimmaging this preseason.

“I feel like we match up pretty well against them,” he said. “It’s kind of like playing against yourselves in a way, so in that sense I think it’ll be a good, competitive ballgame.”

You can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @JustGusPD.