A beautiful, full moon showed up to the Acalanes flag football home opener Thursday night. So did the Dons pass-rush. By the end of the evening, the Dons would tally 9 sacks of the Monte Vista quarterback and post their third shutout in a row to start the season.
The pressure started immediately. On the first play of the game, linebacker Avery DeMent would sack the Mustang quarterback leading to a Monte Vista punt on their opening drive. A short punt set up the Dons in Monte Vista territory. The Dons’ offense looked sharp out of the gate. Quarterback Ines Coyne hit star wide receiver June “Prime Time” Natal for a quick 10 yards. Junior running back Isabelle Agnost gashed the defense for 10 more and on second and goal from the 5, Coyne found the sure handed Santana Tamayo in the right flat for the touchdown. A quick missile to slot wide out Stella Beuchotte on the point after and the Dons were out to a 7 – 0 lead.
The Dons and Mustangs would trade possessions over the next several drives. Stella Beuchotte and Prime Time Natal both had nice passes defensed to frustrate the Mustang quarterback. On the Dons third offensive possession, junior running back Isabelle Agnost turned on the afterburners for a scintillating 25 yard run to move the offense into the Mustang redzone. Coyne would then hit Tamayo in the endzone for her second touchdown reception of the game, run in the PAT herself and the Dons were out to a 14 – 0 lead.
On Monte Vista’s next drive, Defensive back Ashby Raher had an interception, reaching out with both arms extended to make a beautiful, all hands catch on a deep Mustang throw. Yet another Mustang drive was squashed when pass rush specialist Malory Decredico would have back to back sacks, igniting the Dons faithful in the crowd, quickly followed by a Coyne pass defensed. A third Mustang drive was extinguished when Coyne, playing linebacker, had back to back sacks, followed by Decredico’s third sack of the game! The defense was on fire!!
The Dons offense would come tantalizingly close to striking again right before the half. Prime Time Natal hauled in a 25 yard pass from Coyne to set up the Dons offense with one final play before the halftime whistle. Coyne lofted a beautiful, arcing pass that was caught by Beuchotte just outside the back of the endzone leaving the score 14 – 0 at the half
In the second hald of the game, Coyne became an unstoppable, blitzing machine recording 3 more sacks, all at crucial moments, bringing her tally to 5 sacks for the game. Prime Time Natal had a clutch pass defensed in the endzone and the Dons would hold on for the 14 – 0 win. Next up for the Dons is a home game against Liberty Ranch of Galt on Tuesday night. Liberty Ranch is coming off a season in which they finished 22 – 3 and went undefeated in league play. It should make for an exciting match up! See you there.
