Pritchard Stars as Denair Defeats Orestimba 35-28

Posted on by

Submitted by Denair High School

NEWMAN – Drew Pritchard hasn’t carried the ball a lot this year for Denair. He’s spent more time at wide receiver and as a key part of a ball-hawking secondary on defense.

But Friday night he has desperately needed on offense. The senior responded in a big way, carrying the ball 14 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns as Denair posted an impressive 35-28 road victory over perennial Southern League power Orestimba.

Pritchard was pressed into service after starting fullback Dylan De Silva was ejected in the first half after an altercation with an Orestimba player. De Silva has been part of a dynamic backfield that includes Steffin Winston and Hunter Musgrave, but the Coyotes didn’t miss a beat with Pritchard filling in.

“Drew’s a good athlete who does well when he gets the chance on offense,” praised Coach Anthony Armas. “He’s had some long runs earlier this year. We really needed him Friday and he came through.”

Pritchard also made his presence felt on defense, intercepting a pass in the first quarter to snuff an Orestimba drive. It was the first of three picks for the Coyotes. Will Knox stepped in front of an Orestimba pass deep in Denair territory late in the first half and Winston intercepted another throw in the second half in the end zone off a tip by Elvis Silva.

“I think something clicked in the Gustine game,” said Armas, referring to Denair’s 49-14 victory two weeks ago. “Our guys were just flying around on defense. They’re really playing fast and creating turnovers.”

The win kept Denair (6-1, overall, 3-1 in the SL) in a second-place tie with Waterford (6-1, 3-1) behind undefeated Ripon Christian (7-0, 4-0). Denair and Waterford play Oct. 26 on the final night of the regular season – a game that figures to go a long way to determining each school’s playoff seeding.

Friday’s game in Newman also had postseason implications.

Orestimba (4-3, 2-2) has dominated the Southern League in football. The Warriors ripped off a 23-game winning streak against SL teams on their way to three league titles in a row, but that’s history now after back-to-back losses to Ripon Christian and Denair.

Against the Warriors, the Coyotes did what they’ve done in each of their six victories – control the line of scrimmage on offense and keep Orestimba’s defense off-balance with a clever combination of misdirection running plays.

When Pritchard wasn’t ripping off big chunks of yardage, it was Winston (15 carries, 99 yards) or Hunter Musgrave (14 carries, 93 yards, 2 TDs).

The Coyotes thrived despite an inordinate number of holding penalties – “It sucked in the moment, but in the end, it kept the clock going because we made first downs,” Armas said – as well as the loss of one of their key blockers, left guard Hayden Haile.

Haile, a senior, suffered a broken left fibula (the small bone in the lower leg) and will miss the rest of the season.

Denair led 14-7 at halftime thanks to scoring runs by Pritchard and Musgrave and Knox’s interception late in the second quarter.

The Coyotes never trailed in the second half. They led 35-20 with 2 minutes when Orestimba scored a TD and 2-point conversion. Orestimba’s onside kick went out of bounds and Denair was able to run out the clock.

JV Game: Orestimba 41, Denair 0. The Coyotes are 1-4-1 overall and 1-3 in league play.

This week: It’s homecoming for Denair against Delhi (0-7, 0-4). Though the Hawks are winless, Armas expects the fact it’s a rivalry game to motivate both teams. “It won’t take much to get our kids excited. It’s Delhi,” he said. … A scheduling quirk has Denair involved in four consecutive homecoming games – its own this week, plus Gustine and Orestimba the past two weeks, and Mariposa on Oct. 19. “The kids are talking about going 4-0 in homecoming,” Armas said. “Orestimba was a great atmosphere last week. They had their kids come running out through a tunnel of motorcycles. I’m sure we’ll do something special this week, too.” … Friday’s homecoming parade starts at the school at 11:45 a.m. and goes down Monte Vista Avenue into town. Game time is 7:15 p.m. at Jack Lytton Stadium. … Though Armas doesn’t want to look ahead, he said his players know where they are in the standings. “The kids aren’t stupid, but we’ve got to focus week to week on who we’re playing,” he said. “We’ve got to keep our eyes on the prize each week. Our goal is to not just make the playoffs, but have a long run in them.”

Floats with Video Game Theme Highlight Homecoming Parade

Posted on by

Submitted by Denair High School

Not only is Delhi’s football team winless on the field this season, the Hawks also are taking a beating this week on the Denair High School homecoming floats.

In keeping with a video game theme, poor Delhi is getting hammered by the freshmen (“Super Smash Brothers”), gobbled up by the sophomores (“Pac-Man”), barrel rolled by the juniors (“Donkey Kong”) and run over by the seniors (“Mario Kart”).

The floats are the products of the imaginations, artistry, and skill of Denair’s leadership team, plus some nifty welding work by students in the Advanced Ag Mechanics class, painting, and construction done by art students.

The floats will be on display during the annual homecoming parade Friday, which begins at 11:45 a.m. and runs from the high school campus to Main Street into town and back. The parade follows a rally at 10:50 a.m. during which kings and queens will be crowned.

Work on the floats began more than a month ago and wrapped up Tuesday. Students in Robyn Hilton’s leadership class first brainstormed about a theme. They chose classic video games, many of them popular when their parents were toddlers.

Next came the actual design, which in the case of the junior float took just 5 minutes, said Chloe Padgett. “I sketched it out on paper and then transferred it to the computer.”

The other floats may have taken slightly longer to conceive, but all reflect the creativity one would expect of teens enthused about homecoming.

The freshmen – led by Jack Henderson, Preston Roe, and Makena Padgett – crafted a “Super Smash Brothers” float with a muscular Coyote using a hammer to pummel an unwitting Hawk.

The sophomores – with Madelyn Brammer and Haley Hultgren in charge – have a gigantic purple “Pac-Man” orb about to munch a Hawk ghost. On the back, the words “Beware the Pac” are painted, a sly reference to a pack of coyotes as well as the game.

The juniors – with Chloe Padgett and Alex De La Cruz running point – chose “Donkey Kong,” a game both admit they never have played. “I saw it in the movie ‘Pixels,’ ” Padgett said. The back of the float features the slogan “Coyote Kong Country.”

The seniors – led by Adrianna Snyder and Drew Pritchard, but relying on at least a dozen others – created the most intricate design. It has two karts welded by Diana Soto, with the one driven by a Coyote upending a hapless Hawk. As the defending champs (they won last year as juniors), the class of 2019 might be favored again this week.

Voting is done by K-8 students on Denair’s other campuses, plus some community members.

“They’ve had a lot of fun working on these,” said art teacher and project adviser John Stavrianoudakis. “There is a lot of creativity reflected in these floats.”

The floats and parade will be a fun part of a day that will culminate with the football game at 7:15 p.m. at Jack Lytton Stadium.

Denair (6-1) is tied for second place in the Southern League with three games to play. Delhi (0-7) is last.

It will be the third of four consecutive homecoming games for the Coyotes – their own Friday, road victories the past two weeks against Gustine and Orestimba, plus the Oct. 19 game at Mariposa.

“The kids are talking about going 4-0 in homecoming,” said football Coach Anthony Armas.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

High-Powered Denair Hammers Gustine 49-14

Posted on by

Submitted by Denair High School

GUSTINE – The play is called “Power,” which accurately describes what Denair’s offense intends to do to opponents.

Overpower them.

Friday night against Gustine, the Coyotes imposed their will in the second half by running “Power Left” and “Power Right” again and again in a 49-14 Southern League victory.

Denair (5-1, overall, 2-1 in the SL) actually trailed 14-7 at halftime, when it regrouped with two of its starting offensive linemen – left guard Hayden Haile (shoulder) and left tackle Zach Cherry (ankle) – sidelined by injury.

“We had to shuffle it around. We were scrambling to find that place where we were comfortable,” said Coach Anthony Armas.

Typically, that means reverting back to “Power” – a play that Armas, a former offensive lineman, calls one of his favorites.

“Power” involves most of the offensive linemen blocking straight ahead while either guard pulls to lead the play, depending on which direction it goes. It’s one of the first plays every football team learns.

“We narrowed the scope of what we did and stayed with the plays we were running well,” Armas explained. “All our kids know ‘Power.’ We just mixed it up between that and a few other plays.”

Reserves Emannuel Zapien (left tackle) and Quentin Parker (left guard) rose to the occasion, Armas said, working with the other offensive linemen to create plenty of space for running backs Hunter Musgrave, Dylan De Silva and Steffin Winston to repeatedly gashed the Reds’ defense.

Musgrave had his best game of the season, ripping off 206 yards on 18 carries and scoring three touchdowns. Winston ran 14 times for 84 yards and a TD, and DeSilva pounded Gustine for 61 yards and three more touchdowns.

Denair’s defense also had a big role in the romp, forcing three Gustine turnovers in the second half (two fumbles and one interception by Will Knox). The Coyotes turned each of those takeaways into points while holding the Reds scoreless.

“We were more aggressive in the second half. We filled our gaps better. We were flying to the ball,” Armas said.

The victory moved Denair into a four-way tie with Orestimba (5-1, 2-1), Waterford (5-1, 2-1) and Gustine (4-2, 2-1) for second place in the league behind unbeaten Ripon Christian (6-0, 3-0).

RC already has handed Denair and Orestimba their only losses. It plays at Gustine this week while Denair faces another tough road game on the West Side in Newman against Orestimba. Waterford hosts Mariposa.

JV Game: Denair 7, Gustine 0. The Coyotes are 1-3-1 overall and 1-2 in league play.

This week: It doesn’t get any easier for the Coyotes, who face an Orestimba team that just had its 23-game Southern League winning streak snapped. “They’re talented, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Armas said. “They’re really aggressive on defense. … It’s going to be tough. It’s their homecoming; they’re coming off a loss. It should be a charged atmosphere. It will be fun.” … Denair has scored 241 points in six games despite being held to only one touchdown in its 35-7 loss to Ripon Christian. … A victory this week would put the Coyotes in a good position for a Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII playoff berth with three weeks to play – home games against Delhi and Waterford sandwiched around a road contest in Mariposa.

Castro Family is this Year’s Beneficiary of Denair Lions Pancake Breakfast

Posted on by

Submitted by Denair Lions Club

Sunday, November 4th, the Denair Community Center will open at 7:00 am for the Annual Lions Pancake Breakfast. This year proceeds will be donated to the Castro Family. Kayla Castro, a 25-year-old mother of 1-year-old Everett, is undergoing cancer treatment while her son is continuing evaluation and treatment for diagnoses of microcephaly, cerebral palsy, and brain abnormalities. You may have read about the family’s struggles and local fundraising efforts in the Turlock Journal this summer. The family continues to bear a large financial burden and there is still much need to be filled.

For over 40 years, the Denair Lions Club has hosted a pancake breakfast on the first Sunday in November. The breakfast has become not only a great fundraiser but also an annual social event for 400 to 600 supporters. Each year the club chooses a person or cause to receive all proceeds from the breakfast. In past years, proceeds have funded such causes as new uniforms and equipment for the Denair Lions Youth Football program, updates and repairs to Denair High School sports facilities and programs, and many local residents in need of financial aid for medical bills during or following a tragedy.

The meal includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, and ham, served with coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, or milk. No tickets are required but donations are accepted at the doors. As always, no person is turned away who is unable to donate. A small number of raffle prizes will be offered together with the traditional Quilt Raffle, which for over 15 years has featured a beautiful handmade quilt crafted and donated by a club member’s mother.

Denair Suffers First Loss to Unbeaten Ripon Christian; Will Try to Rebound Against Gustine This Week

Posted on by

Submitted by Denair High School

DENAIR – The first four weeks of Denair’s football season were marked by big plays on offense and an aggressive, swarming defense. The Coyotes averaged 44 points a game thanks to a potent running game featuring three elusive backs.

But Friday night against mighty Ripon Christian, it was the unbeaten Knights who made all the big plays in their 35-7 Southern League victory over Denair at Jack Lytton Stadium.

“They really good,” praised Denair coach Anthony Armas. “Hands down, that’s the best team we’ll face all year.”

Probably the game’s key sequence occurred in the third quarter with Denair trailing 21-7, but driving for a possible touchdown that would have made it a one-score game. The Coyotes had the ball on the RC 10-yard-line, but were stopped when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

On the next play, Ripon Christian running back Michael Kamps (15 carries, 186 yards, 3 TDs) broke free for a long touchdown run.

Just that suddenly, the air was sucked out of the Denair sideline. What might have been a doable 21-14 deficit with all the momentum in front of a frenzied crowd with a quarter to play became a 28-7 RC advantage.

“We couldn’t punch it in and then they had a 90-yard run,” Armas said. “That was tough.”

A similar sequence occurred near the end of the first half. Trailing 14-0, the Coyotes again drove deep into Knights territory. But Denair missed on a third-down pass attempt, then failed to convert a 33-yard field goal try.

“They had two or three big plays and our longest was about 30 yards,” Armas said.

Running back Steffin Winston led Denair’s offense with 101 yards on the ground. The Coyotes’ only touchdown came in the third quarter on a 9-yard pass from Elvis Silva to Drew Pritchard.

And though Denair moved the ball throughout the game, RC’s defense stiffened when the Coyotes threatened the end zone.

“They like to get after people,” Armas said of RC. “They blitz a lot. They dare you to throw the ball quickly. We had some good drives, but we couldn’t score like we’ve been doing.”

The victory kept the Knights (5-0 overall, 2-0 Southern League) unbeaten in what is shaping up to be a five-way battle for not only the league title but also the coveted playoff spots for the new few teams.

RC is tied with Orestimba (4-1, 2-0) and Gustine (4-1, 2-0) for first place, with Denair (4-1, 1-1) and Waterford (4-1, 1-1) just a game behind.

Denair plays at Gustine this week while Ripon Christian hosts Orestimba. Depending on the results, the standings could even tighter by the end of Friday night.

“We all knew Ripon Christian was going to be good,” Armas said. “It’s a tough league. Really tough.”

JV Game: Ripon Christian 39, Denair 0. The Coyotes fell to 0-3-1 overall and 0-2 in league play.

This week: Denair continues the Southern League gauntlet with a road game in Gustine. What will be the message this week in practice? “Regroup and move forward,” Armas said. “Realistically, we’re not going to go undefeated. We’ve got to bounce back.” … Denair expects to again rely on running backs Winston, Dylan De Silva and Hunter Musgrave to carry the offensive lead. On defense, Armas said the Coyotes will have to be stout against the run. “They’ve got a good running back and some big linemen,” he said of Gustine. … The Reds are coming off a 17-14 victory in Mariposa.