Sequoia Ravens grind out win over Aragon

Good thing style points don’t factor into games, because this one was by no means pretty, but the Ravens did just enough. They let the Dons shoot themselves in the foot time and again, came up with a couple big plays and pulled out a 12-7 victory.

“We let people get what they had to say off their chests (after the loss last week) and then we moved on,” said Sequoia head coach Frank Mems. “That was a one-week blunder.”

Friday was also the second week under center for Luke Ostrander, a junior quarterback who was slated to be the starter, but was hampered by an injury to start the season. He got his first start of the season against Half Moon Bay and against Aragon, he was infinitely better.

The fact he didn’t re-aggravate his previous injury or incur another one was a slight miracle, because Ostrander is going to be sore for the next couple of days.

Among the smallest players on the field, Ostrander stood taller than most. He absorbed heavy pressure from a swarming Dons defense, getting sacked four times and being absolutely blasted several more times.

But he just kept getting up and kept slinging the ball.

“He’s one of those guys that has that dawg in him,” Mems said. “You can’t teach that. … He’s a football player.”

And it was Ostrader and his receivers that came up big that gave the lead for the Ravens’ defense to work with. Ostrander would complete 12 of 22 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns — one in the second and one in the fourth as the Ravens rallied from a 7-6 deficit.

Aragon had its chances, working with short fields on several drives. And the Dons, at times, did a good job of sustaining drives, but inevitably, they would get deep into Sequoia territory, only to see a mistake or penalty ultimately scuttle the drive.

Aragon received the opening kick off and started the drive at its own 40. Jaxson Sullivan ripped off runs of 24 and 10 yards and the Dons were in business at the Ravens’ 26-yard line. Aragon would convert a fourth down to keep the drive going, but a false started bogged it down and the Dons eventually missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.

The Dons would start their third drive at their own 43, but a couple of batted down passes forced a punt from the Sequoia 39, with punter Izzy Johnson pinning the Ravens at the 10-yard line before they went three-and-out.

Aragon took over at it own 43 but could only gain 22 yards before punting, again, from the Ravens’ 35. Johnson, again, pinned Sequoia deep, as the Ravens started the drive at their own 4-yard line.

The Dons recorded a tackle for a 1-yard loss and Ostrander threw an incomplete pass on second down amid heavy pressure.

On third down, the Dons sent the house, intent on getting a safety. But Sequoia had made the perfect call. Ostrander took the snap, pivoted to his right and found Darcy Cross on a quick underneath screen.

Ostrander was drilled, but he managed to get to watch Cross do the rest. After breaking an initial tackle, Cross was off to the races, out-running the Aragon defense for a quick-strike, 97-yard touchdown catch and run to put the Ravens up 6-0 with 4:32 left in the half and held that lead at halftime.

The Ravens received the second-half kickoff and for the third straight drive, started inside their own 15-yard line. Sequoia eventually punted from its own 6 and Aragon began its first drive of the third quarter at the Sequoia 27.

And could nothing with it, turning the ball over on downs at the Sequoia 32.

The Ravens reciprocated by turning the ball over on downs before the Dons finally got their offense in gear. Starting at their own 19, the Dons had chunk gains of 11, 12 and 18 yards, getting a first down at the Sequoia 38.

Then it was the Dons’ turn to hit on a big play. Johnson took the snap, rolled to his right and fired downfield to a wide open Charlie Wilcox, who was running an out toward the sideline. He caught the ball and hit the brakes, with the defender flying by him. He turned up field and beat two more defenders to the goal line for a 38-yard score. Diego Mora’s extra point gave the Dons a 7-6 lead with 3:10 left in the third quarter.

Which they held until the fourth period before the Ravens put together the game-winning drive. Starting at their own 33 with 10:50 to play, the Ravens marched down the field. Ostrander connected with Blake Whitaker for a 13-yard gain and Jayden Russi rumbled for 18 more.

Russi, who had just 5 yards on six carries in the first half, had 93 on 15 carries in the second half.

Ostrander then hit Randy Nuñez for 19 yards down to the Aragon 4-yard line and two plays, later Ostrander went around the left side, diving into the end zone for a 12-7 lead with 4:39 to play.

Aragon had one last shot. But a long kickoff return that would have given the Dons possession at their own 46, instead started at the 31 after a dead-ball, unsportsmanlike penalty after the kick.

The Dons would go three-and-out and the Ravens would run off the final 4:06 on the clock, aided by three Aragon penalties. The Dons finished the game 15 penalties for 115 yards.

While the road to an Ocean Division title in a long one for Sequoia, Mems is just happy that the win over Aragon keeps his team in the championship conversation.

“Good win,” Mems said. “It keeps us afloat (in the Ocean Division race).”