By ALONZO TREJO
Special To The Times
Taking on the Waterford Sabercats, wins for the Escalon Youth Cougars came at the junior novice, novice and varsity levels, the program going 3-for-4 over the weekend.
Junior Novice
The Junior Novice Cougars continued their winning streak with a convincing 41-19 victory over the Waterford Sabercats on Saturday, showcasing both offensive firepower and defensive resilience.
Leading the way for the Cougars was Sebastian Coronado, who put on a standout performance with three touchdowns and three tackles, while also recovering a fumble. His ability to find the end zone and make key defensive plays was instrumental in Escalon’s success.
Hunter Jones added to Escalon’s scoring frenzy, contributing a touchdown and three tackles of his own, while Jacob Mackrell recorded two touchdowns, two tackles, and a crucial fumble recovery, rounding out an all-around team effort.
Defensively, the Cougars were led by Maverick Santos, whose five tackles and three fumble recoveries stifled Waterford’s offense at pivotal moments. Isaiah Gonzalez and Jack Noack each chipped in with four tackles, keeping the Sabercats in check. Sebastian Martinez also made his presence felt with four tackles, while Cayden Jones added one tackle to the team’s defensive effort.
Novice
The Novice Cougars delivered a flawless performance on both sides of the ball, crushing the Waterford Sabercats 44-0 in a lopsided victory.
Escalon’s defense was impenetrable, led by Andres Jimenez, who racked up five tackles and a crucial fumble recovery that set the tone early for the Cougars. Jase Govia added three tackles to the defensive effort, while Eric Cardenas and Grady Johnson each recovered fumbles, with Johnson also finding the end zone for a touchdown.
On offense, Liam Lombardi kept the Waterford defense on its heels, completing a passing touchdown and adding defensively his two-tackle effort. Antonio Brunetti powered in for a rushing touchdown, while Hunter Walker and Andrew Machado hauled in receiving touchdowns to extend the Cougars’ lead.
Zackariah Doty added to the scoring barrage with a touchdown of his own, while Keaton Griffin, Trenton Kjellberg, Logan Lanza, and Josiah Canela each contributed defensively, combining for several key tackles that kept the Sabercats from gaining any momentum.
Junior Varsity
The Junior Varsity Cougars faced a difficult outing on Saturday, suffering a 44-0 defeat at the hands of the Waterford Sabercats. Despite a determined defensive effort from several key players, the Cougars were unable to stop the Sabercats’ potent offense.
Landon Machado led the Cougars’ defense with four tackles, while Gavin DaSilva added three tackles of his own. Mason Hoover, Jace Turnbough, Waylon Morgan, and Zimri Hodge each contributed two tackles, attempting to slow down Waterford’s aggressive attack.
Other Cougars stepping up defensively included Cru Herrera, Julian Cruz, Logan Gonsalez, Noah Castellanos, Landon Silva, Jacob Barker, Colton Faria, Ivan Valencia, and Matthew Fenton, all of whom recorded one tackle each.
Despite the strong individual efforts, Escalon was unable to gain any momentum on either side of the ball, with Waterford’s offense overpowering their defense and leaving the Cougars scoreless.
Varsity
The Varsity Cougars were victorious with a commanding 40-0 shutout win over the Waterford Sabercats, delivering an impressive performance on both offense and defense.
Steven Fenton led the charge with a stellar all-around performance, recording four tackles, a receiving touchdown, and a rushing touchdown. His dual-threat ability kept Waterford off balance throughout the game.
Quarterbacks Easton Hunt and Archer Sanders were both sharp, with Hunt throwing for one touchdown and Sanders adding two more through the air. Andrew Coble and Lucas Trejo each found the end zone on the ground, while Adam Cordeiro and Lucas Machado hauled in receiving touchdowns.
On the defensive side, the Cougars smothered the Sabercats’ offense. Ryker Lial and Trevor Jansen each recorded three tackles, while Cristian Camara and Noah Gonsalves added four. Ty Caton and Kaiden Crawford also contributed key tackles, with Mason Rodriguez recovering a fumble to further stymie Waterford’s attack.
Escalon’s defense was relentless, not allowing Waterford to gain any traction and sealing the shutout win. The Cougars’ strong defensive play and balanced offensive attack demonstrated their depth and dominance.
EYC Cheer
Cheer JAMZ competition took place this past Sunday at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton showcasing Youth Teams from around the region. The Escalon Youth Cougars Junior Varsity took third place out of nine teams. Varsity took second out of five teams. Novice took fourth out of nine and Junior Novice took eighth.
