NBL football roundup: Cardinal Newman rolling toward league title

Cardinal Newman High School continued its undefeated run in the North Bay League-Oak Division and came closer to clinching the division title with a 55-10 victory over visiting Maria Carrillo Friday night.

The Cardinals scored virtually at will in the first quarter, taking a 41-0 lead on six solid drives and one interception return.

Quarterback Jake Pavitt threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter alone and four for the night. He connected with Jake Woods for an 81-yard score early and a 56-yard pass later in the quarter.

Zach Moran intercepted a Carrillo pass late in the quarter and returned it 15 yards for a score to put Newman up by six touchdowns in the first 12 minutes. Chauncey Leberthon added a 99-yard kickoff return early in the second quarter.

Pavitt ended the night 9-for-12 passing for 236 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Newman, 8-1 overall and now 4-0 in the NBL-Oak, plays Analy (1-3 in the division) next week in the final division game.

The Tigers lost badly to second-place Rancho Cotate Friday.

Carrillo is 3-6 and 0-4.

Rancho Cotate 52, Analy 0

Rancho Cotate shut out Analy in the first two quarters while building a 42-0 halftime lead over the host Tigers in a lopsided NBL-Oak game.

Cougars' quarterback Jared Stocker connected with Dylan Barella (25 yards), Ryan Hupp (25) and Sumari Jones (16) for early touchdown passes.

Running back Rasheed Rankin ran for 22- and 2-yard touchdowns, while Jones added a 9-yard touchdown, all in the first half.

Stocker connected on 17 of 20 pass attempts for 248 yards and three TDs in the first half.

Kicker Andrew Alfaro hit a 46-yard field goal to finish the Cougars' scoring late.

Rancho's bigger, stronger defense held Analy on every drive, rarely letting the Tigers threaten.

Coaches agreed to play with a running clock in the second half, a measure taken when the score becomes lopsided.

Rancho improves to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the NBL-Oak, its only loss to undefeated Newman. Analy falls to 3-6 and 1-3 in league in its first year in the more competitive NBL.

Next week Rancho faces Ukiah, which also won Friday, in a game that will likely decide second place.

Ukiah 21, Windsor 14

Jay Jay Escamilla's 10-yard touchdown reception with 8 minutes left in the game put the Wildcats up 21-14, and Ukiah's defense held off a charging Windsor in the final minutes.

The victory keeps Ukiah (7-2, 3-1) on pace with Rancho Cotate for second place in the NBL-Oak Division behind undefeated Cardinal Newman. Windsor falls to 3-6 and 1-3.

Tied at 14 at the half, neither team could push across a score in the third.

Escamilla's catch from quarterback Nate Johnson came on fourth-and-nine.

“Jay Jay made a simple fade pattern and it was a great ball by Nate Johnson,” Ukiah coach Jonathon Dewey said.

The score gave Ukiah breathing room, but Windsor threatened.

That was until Ukiah's Alex Morfin intercepted Windsor on two straight possessions to help the Wildcats seal the win.

Piner 56, Elsie Allen 12

Elsie Allen took an early 12-7 lead over visiting Piner in an NBL-Redwood game, but the Prospectors found their grove and pulled out a victory.

From late in the first quarter on, it was all Piner, which won its first division game and is now 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the NBL-Redwood. Elsie is 0-8 and 0-3.

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.