By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor St. Francis (as you can read below) has had a lot of recent ‘history’ with tonight’s opponent, La Serna. La Serna will be the most formidable opponent the Golden Knights will have faced this season. And as much as their game plan will revolve around stopping the Lancers’ strengths, St. […]
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
St. Francis (as you can read below) has had a lot of recent ‘history’ with tonight’s opponent, La Serna.
La Serna will be the most formidable opponent the Golden Knights will have faced this season.
And as much as their game plan will revolve around stopping the Lancers’ strengths, St. Francis spends far more time and focus on doing their jobs, because they know each week they control their own destiny.
They know if Matt Barriga and Gabriel Grbavac, both defensive ends, wreak havoc in the Lancers backfield, and if Darius Perrantes (QB) and Elijah Washington (RB) and Greg Dulcich/Blake Howard (receivers) play to their capabilities, the rest will take care of itself.
Perrantes heads into his third game with 8 TD passes and 2 interceptons.
If Elijah Washington is able to set the pace in the Golden Knights’ rushing attack, it’s likely both Perrantes and Washington will put up big numbers.
Kickoff is tonight at 7 at St. Francis.
Quotable:
St. Francis coach Jim Bonds: “This should be a very competitive game. They are very well coached and run a version of the wing-T which is extremely hard to prep for in a short week of practice!”
St.. Francis’ recent history with La Serna:
2014: SF went 10-0 in league and won our first playoff game to go 11-0. However our starting QB and starting inside LB were lost for the season in the first playoff game. We started a soph QB at La Serna and lost the game 38-35.
2015: SF was a group of over achievers needing to win our last three games to make the playoffs. We did that and then won our first two playoff games. Then faced La Serna at home in the semifinals. Were up 10-3 at the half and then lost 24-10. It was about as far as we could go that year!
2016: After SF lost the previous two years in the playoffs, we decided to schedule La Serna for a non-league game. We wanted a chance to figure them out before we saw them again in the playoffs. We turned the ball over four times at La Serna last year but were still able to come away with a 24-21 victory. This game, I feel, was a huge boost to our momentum for last season!
2017: La Serna is 2-1. They lost to La Costa Canyon (San Diego section) 34-7 in week zero. La Costa canyon is a very good program. Then they beat Troy of Fullerton 33-23, and Mira Costa (common opponent) 21-6.
