Dos Pueblos Pummeled at Righetti

An opportunity to enter Channel League play with momentum slipped away from the Dos Pueblos High football team after Righetti pounded the Chargers 34-14 Friday night in a non-league contest.

Dos Pueblos had no answer for the Warriors’ vaunted rushing attack led by Adan Solis, who glided his way to 202 yards rushing on 26 carries. Righetti eclipsed 300 yards rushing as a team and imposed its will in the trenches as the game progressed.

“Once we had them down we knew we could just keep pounding Adan. He’s as tough as hey come,” said Righetti coach Tony Payne. “That team was playing their big boys on both sides of the ball and once we had them on their heels we kept them on their heels.”

Dos Pueblos cut its deficit to 20-14 at the 8:08 mark of the third quarter on a eight-yard touchdown run by Jayson Miranda that came off a direct snap. That drive was kept alive by a Righetti muffed punt that ignited the Chargers and swung the tide in their favor.

However, Righetti responded with perhaps its most impressive drive of the game. The Warriors ran the ball on eight consecutive plays and punched the ball into the end zone on a ten-yard run by Kidasi Nepa increasing their lead to 27-14.

“They have a unique blend. It’s one of those things where we had a good recipe and then weird stuff started to happen,” said Dos Pueblos coach Doug Caines of the Righetti attack. “Guys started playing out of position and we had some injuries so there was different personnel. Dealing with that was a little bit of a struggle and we just couldn’t overcome that.

The emergence of junior quarterback Logan Mortensen was a revelation for Righetti as his dual-threat capabilities puzzled Dos Pueblos and resulted in back breaking plays. It was the first start of the season for Mortensen, who played significantly in Righetti’s previous game against Soledad and earned the opportunity to lead the first unit.

“He deserved a chance with our ones. That’s what he got last week against Soledad and we were very confident putting him in the game tonight,” said Payne of Mortensen. “He gives us a lot of options. We still have Brandon (Giddings) in our back pocket. We’re still running the big formations and double tight formations with Brandon in there.”

Righetti took the opening kickoff of the game and marched 75 yards on 15 plays. The Drive was capped off by a eight-yard touchdown run by Solis.

After Dos Pueblos missed a field goal at the end of its opening possession, Righetti was able to extend its lead to 14-0 midway through the second quarter on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Giddings. The highlight play on the drive was a 62-yard pass from Mortensen to Jake Steels down to the two-yard line.

The Chargers lone touchdown of the first half came on an 80-yard run by Eric Lopez on the first play of their next possession. Lopez finished with 113 yards on 13 carries.

Next up for Dos Pueblos is a matchup with Cabrillo of Lompoc at Warkentin Stadium next Friday beginning at 7 p.m.

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The Cardinals led 15-14 at the break, but were outscored 28-0 in the second half of their final tune up before Camino League play.

Hueneme 27 Carpinteria 20

Carpinteria’s comeback attempt fell short in the closing moments snapping a three-game winning streak.