Many teams would crumble after losing their starting quarterback because of an injury.
But not but MacArthur.
After junior signal-caller Maximus Cavazos left the game, the Brahmas rallied behind senior Matthew Rodriguez’s 130 rushing yards and a suffocating defensive performance to beat South San 31-6 in a District 14-5A-I battle Friday at South San Stadium.
“This is district football,” MacArthur coach Jordon Ricker said. “There’s going to be ups and downs throughout games. The teams that handle the adversity the best are going to find a way to win the game.
“So I’m proud of them for handling the good and the bad of the game. It’s a good win for us.”
Ricker did not comment on the nature of Cavazos’ injury or give a timetable for his return.
After a missed field goal on the Bobcats’ second drive of the game, MacArthur (4-1, 2-0) moved into South San’s red zone off a pair of chunk plays from Cavazos. On first-and-10 from the South San 15-yard line, Cavazos hit junior Kellen Polansky on a quick screen to his left. Polansky kept his balance after getting clipped on the heel and outran South San defenders for the touchdown.
On the ensuing Bobcats’ possession, a 12-yard sack from MacArthur junior Michael Thomas forced a South San punt. Rodriguez broke free for a 28-yard scamper on the first play from scrimmage, setting the Brahmas up in plus territory. MacArthur couldn’t find the end zone and settled for a 37-yard field goal to go up 10-0 with 46 seconds left in the opening quarter.
South San (1-2-1, 0-2) responded by putting together its best drive of the half, leaning on junior Isaiah Rodriguez as he rushed seven consecutive times down to the MacArthur 18-yard line. But the Brahmas stymied the Bobcats’ rushing attack and blocked their field goal attempt to keep them off the board.
The Brahmas then flipped field position thanks to a 38-yard run from senior Omarie Williams. Cavazos drove MacArthur into the red zone, but once he exited the game after suffering an injury, the offense stalled. The drive ended after a fumble from junior Turner Schwartz, who filled in for Cavazos at quarterback the remainder of the game.
Luckily for MacArthur, a botched snap on a South San punt put them right back into the red zone, where Rodriguez punched in a 4-yard rushing score with 26 seconds remaining in the half.
“My O-line was making green grass for me,” Rodriguez said. “So, I was taking what I could get.”
Coming out of the break, the Brahmas continued pounding the rock, alternating carries between Rodriguez and Williams. 12 rushing plays later, Williams broke the plane to put MacArthur up 24-0.
South San, running out of options, had to start creating opportunities through the air. Senior Robert Diaz dropped back to pass on the first play of the Bobcats’ next drive, but Thomas tipped his pass at the line of scrimmage and junior Carson Lacott hauled in the interception. Lacott side-stepped Diaz on the return and scored from 32 yards out.
“We’ve got playmakers on defense,” Ricker said. “We talk about our playmakers on offense, but our defensive guys they can make plays too. That was a heck of a job by Carson jumping the ball. So proud of him.”
The Bobcats scored their lone touchdown of the game with 1:55 remaining, but it was too little, too late as the Brahmas stayed unbeaten in 14-5A-I.
“I told the guys, we’re going to enjoy this for about 24 hours,” Ricker said. “Then we’ll get back to the drawing board. It starts again on Monday, and we’ve got to build throughout the week and try and win another district ball game next week.”
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This article originally published at MacArthur overcomes injury with smothering defense in win over South San.
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