Gladstone Gets Just Enough, 9-6

Gladstone's Kevin Amezquita passed for 90 yards and rushed for 44 yards and a score

(Citrus College) – In a game that featured more penalties than points Gladstone struggled to a 9-6 win over Ganesha Thursday night in the Montview League opener.

If ugliness were bricks, this game would have been the Great Wall of China. If ugliness was a crime this game would be sent to the electric chair… I guess you could say it resembled a cat named Frankenstein, but that would be an insult to Frankenstein.

Ok you get the point, it wasn’t pretty. But Gladstone did just enough to escape with a much needed league victory before about 45 fans. Okay, maybe 50.   

There were six turnovers, a blocked field goal, two missed extra points and countless penalties that made the fourth quarter seem longer than the LA Marathon. Oh and then there was a Ganesha punt that was recovered by the Giants on a play that had to be seen to be believed. 

In the first quarter, the Ganehsa punter miss hit the ball and kicked it straight up in the air. Picture a pop up to short on the baseball diamond. With Gladstone Head Coach Albert Sanchez and his entire staff screaming “POISON! POISON! GET AWAY!” at the top of their lungs a Gladstone player inexplicably charged straight to the ball. Of course the inevitable happened. The ball ricocheted off the player’s shin and Ganesha recovered. Ganesha didn’t take advantage of the opportunity but it gave you a good idea of things to come.

Neither team could get much going offensively but Gladstone finally established a running game with Moises Ruiz and moved the ball down to the Ganesha 23 in the second quarter. The drive stalled there but Christian Guzman booted a 40 yard field goal to put the Gladiators up 3-0 at the half.

G-Stone put together a 52 yard nine play drive on the first series in the third quarter with quarterback Kevin Amezquita capping it with a one yard keeper for a touchdown. The snap was botched on the extra point attempt leaving the score 9-0.

Ganesha’s lone highlight came on the ensuing kick off. Eric Acevedo took a hand off on the reverse and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown. The Giants got the extra point kick off but it missed the mark.

Nobody scored the rest of the way. Gladstone moved into Giant territory but coughed it up, Ganesha also turned it over and twice was stopped on fourth down.

Ruiz had 20 carries for 123 yards for the Glads while Amezquita completed 8 of 15 passes for 90 yards and rushed six times for 44 yards and a touchdown.

Gladstone improved to 1-3 overall, 1-0 in league, while Ganesha fell to 1-3, (0-1).

Gan   0  0  6  0      6

Glad  0  3  6  0      9

2nd Qtr:

Glad 5:27 Guzman 40 yd FG

3rd Qtr:

Glad 7:46 Amezquita 1 yd run (Kick Failed)

Gan 7:31 Acevedo 82 yd KO Ret. (Kick Failed)   

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