St. Bernard’s got back to winning ways on Saturday afternoon with a nice bounce-back win over McKinleyville.
With sophomore running back Jack Omey running for three touchdowns and a big day for Cal Figas on two-point plays, St. Bernard’s ended a two-game skid with a 45-20 win at Crusader Field.
Senior lineman Josh Tinkham returned to the lineup after missing he last two games and the difference in the trenches was noticeable for a St. Bernard’s team that improved to 5-2.
“Our goal today was to work on our running game and be physical, and we did that,” St. Bernard’s head coach Matt Tomlin said. “Having Tinkham back at center means the world to us. We blocked really well today. Our pass protection needs to be better, but we’ll work on that this week.”
Having Tinkham back also meant plenty to Omey, who had his most productive game of the season and continually caused problems for the visiting defense.
“Omey and their front, they just ate us alive,” McKinleyville head coach Jason Benge said. “We had a hard time stopping that.”
Maddox Boham also had a touchdown run in the win, as did Braylon Johnson, while quarterback Trenten Hagler connected with fellow senior Garret Shanahan on a TD pass to round out the six St. Bernard’s TDs.
Figas also had a huge impact on special teams.
The standout sophomore had a PAT, a two-point conversion run and a two-point conversion reception, and he also threw for a two-point conversion to Henry Hinrichs.
The loss was just the second of the season for the Panthers, who dropped to 5-2.
A young McKinleyville team made too many little mistakes to overcome a team of St. Bernard’s quality.
“I think they’re probably one of the better teams in league and you can’t make the mistakes we made and expect to compete with them,” Benge said.
However, with several standout youngsters on his roster, it was another valuable learning experience for a program that is enjoying a breakout campaign.
Junior Gunner Grande had a big day on offense and caught three touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Corbin Green.
Grande, who has been limited because of injury in recent weeks, finished with eight catches for 120 yards.
“It was nice getting him back,” Benge said of the playmaker.
Another sophomore, Carson Hicks, played his first ever varsity game and had a huge debut, finishing with a team-high 14 tackles and an interception at the safety position.
Yet another sophomore, Cameron Heldebrandt, also continued to impress and ran the ball well, but had some nice gains called back on penalties, which plagued the Panthers for much of the game.
Green completed 22-of-31 passes for 266 yards, the three TDs and an interception, but he continues to showcase his talents and composure.
Junior Talon Turner also impressed with his play at linebacker and receiver, but four turnovers, including a fumble, proved costly for the visitors.
Some of the more experienced players also impressed for McKinleyville, including influential team captain Braylon Sotelo, who finished with “three or four sacks,” according to the coach, as well as Francisco Mendez and Wes Montgomery, the latter two of whom have been consistently impressing all fall.
Next up, St. Bernard’s hosts Del Norte and McKinleyville hosts Ferndale.
