The Times-Standard
MIRANDA -- A tenacious South Fork team allowed Ferndale only six first-quarter points -- 20 below the visitors’ season average -- and held the Cats leading running back to 50 yards on 15 carries.
But the Cubs committed four turnovers, helping Ferndale showcase its multi-dimensional offense that led to a 33-0 win over South Fork on Saturday.
Wildcat running back Kyle Matyshock scored four of his team’s five touchdowns, three coming on runs and the other on a pass from quarterback Kevin McKay. McKay also threw a touchdown pass to Jesse Slade.
”I was proud of my guys, they played a full 48 minutes,” said Cubs’ head coach Andy Olsen. “But we made those turnovers and they (Ferndale) will capitalize on those; they’re almost automatic in making them points.”
On homecoming night the Cubs fans buzzed in the opening quarter when their team stopped Ferndale on its first two possessions while the visitors were called for five penalties and had a bad snap on a punt.
”We got off to a shaky start,” said Ferndale head coach Kim Jorgensen, “and we were hoping that each guy would step up.”
The Wildcats’
Jake Coppini sacked Cubs’ QB Jazper Strange from his blind side causing a fumble, and minutes later the Wildcats’ special team recovered a fumbled punt on the Cubs own eight-yard line.
Matyshock took it in from one-yard out for the game’s first score at the 2:28 mark.
The Ferndale D responded again, with Jimmy Griggs intercepting a pass in South Fork territory. Matyshock rumbled up the middle for 38 yards and two plays later he ran it into the end zone from two yards out.
With the score 12-0, Ferndale engineered a 12-play, 57-yard drive that ended with just 20 seconds left in the half when McKay hit Matyshock on a seven-yard pass to the left for the score. Tight end Chuck Jones caught the two-point conversion and it was 20-0 at halftime.
The Wildcats scored two second-half touchdowns.
In the third quarter, McKay used a play-action fake to set up a 23-yard touchdown pass to Slade along the left side. And in the fourth quarter Matyshock dashed in from 15 yards out.
McKay completed 9 of 16 passes for 123 yards, no interceptions and two touchdowns.
”He (McKay) was setting his feet and throwing well,” said Jorgensen.
The visitors prevented the Cubs’ speedy backs from breaking any long runs, with Brett Manus’ eight-yarder and Khan Johnston’s seven-yarder being the Cubs top efforts.
”They (Ferndale) know how to cut down the angles and they hit their holes,” said Olsen.
The Cubs’ Kyle Arreguin, Conor Arnold, C. J. Lyon and Johnston made good open field tackles and assisted on others, but Matyshock stepped up for Jourdan Del Biaggio, who was held to 50 yards on 15 carries.
”The line got some good holes opened and Kyle used them,” said Jorgensen.
Ferndale (4-0 overall, 2-0 in Little 5) host Fortuna (3-0 overall) in the traditional Milk Can game next Saturday.
South Fork (2-2, 1-2 in Little 5) will play at St. Bernard’s (3-1, 1-1) next Saturday.
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