RENO — Three touchdowns within a span of four minutes in the first quarter on Friday night put Damonte Ranch on track to a 68-21 Sierra League football victory against Douglas.
Freshman quarterback Cade McNamara threw four touchdowns in the first half, two to Sam Banghart, as Damonte Ranch (2-1 league, 4-5 overall) jumped out to a 41-14 lead against Douglas (1-2, 2-6).
On a first-and-15 play to start their second possession the Mustangs struck paydirt when the speedy Banghart — who runs 11.10 for 100 meters on the track — took a shovel pass from McNamara for a 44-yard touchdown.
The Mustangs scored on their first play from scrimmage after Jesse Knorzer recovered a fumble as McNamara found Jakob Saffle in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Jairo Alvarez recovered the ensuing onside kick and Damonte Ranch capitalized as Cameron Sandoval scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:19 left in the first quarter.
Sandoval’s 49-yard touchdown run and 94-yard run in the third quarter extended Damonte’s lead to 61-14 lead with 4:06 left in the third quarter — at which time the game reverted to a running clock (due to 45-point rule).
Sam Melhus put Douglas on the scoreboard with a 6-yard run two plays into the second quarter. The score capped off a 14-play, 74-yard drive that took 5 minutes, 52 seconds off the clock.
Damonte Ranch answered with another drive of its own that ended when Banghart scored on a 32-yard pass and run.
The Tigers pulled to within 28-14 when Tomas Leitenbauer shook free on a post pattern and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Bryce James.
James scored on a 16-yard run on the game’s final play.
CROSS COUNTRY
Ortiz-Osty takes fourth
RENO — Josefina Ortiz-Osty had another strong effort for Carson’s girls in takeing fourth in the Sierra League meet Friday at Rancho San Rafael Park.
The Douglas boys cross country team led by John Munyan (second place at 17:20) and Kaleb Morris (third place at 17:32) won the Sierra League meet.
Douglas won the tiebreaker over Galena.
Carson, running without its top two runners in Ian Van Rensselaer and Brandon Copeland finished in fifth, with 130 points behind Douglas, Galena, Bishop Manogue (87), Damonte Ranch (91). Wooster was last with 135.
Rounding out Douglas was Lars Ponsness (ninth in 18 minutes), Bryan Harris (13th in 18:14), Danner Hillman (16th in 18:32) and Patrick Voss (17th in 18:33).
Carson, running without the injured Van Rensselaer and Copeland, who was out due to a family commitment, was led by Miles Bean (20th in 18:41), Logan Mead (23rd in 18:51), Kiefer Catron (25th in 18:54), Hector Gomez-Barios (33rd in 19:17), Reece Canfield (40th in 19:55), Hunter Rauh (43rd in 20:33) and Chris Berggren (44th in 20:38).
On the girls side, Douglas finished second to Damonte Ranch. The Mustangs (34 points) cruised, followed by the Tigers (62), Galena (65), Carson (97) and Bishop Manogue (107).
Leading Douglas was Megan Ruffo (fifth in 21:02), Madison Cote (seventh in 21:27), Lizzy Byrne (18th in 22:19), Baily Gansberg (19th in 22:22), Maya Smith (22nd in 22:36) and Cristina Munoz (24th in 22:56).
For the Senators, also running without two of their top runners in injured Eveline Delgado and Athena Favero, also out due to a family commitment, were Ortiz-Osty (fourth in 21:01), Blanca Sosa (20th in 22:32), Rhenna Jackson (21st in 22:32), Jiavanna Wong-Fortunato (29th in 24:02), Alison Green (31st in 25 minutes), Chloe Hataway (34th in 25:56) and Kathryn Liemandt (36th in 27:03).
“The kids overall ran fairly well,” Carson coach Pete Sinnott said.
The Senators will look to improve on their finishes next weekend during the Division 1 race being run on Saturday at Rancho San Rafael.
Sinnott said Favero and Copeland will be back for the regional meet while it’s hoped Van Rensselaer will be able to run but Delgado is not expected to be able to run.
VOLLEYBALL
Dayton falls
TRUCKEE — Dayton gave Truckee all it could handle before falling 23-25, 21-25, 19-25. Dayton led in two of the three sets. “My team played solid,” Dayton coach Monica Halverson said. “Collectively my girls played consistent and didn’t hand the win to Truckee like we did when they came to play us. I foresee that division playoffs are going to be so competitive.
“My team matched their play and just finished short. I am so proud of the teamwork that my team is showing, their desire to play strong and finish strong.”
Dayton is 21-6 overall and third in league at 10-4. Rachel Hadley had a huge defensive night with 25 digs and four aces, Shalia Powell had 13 digs, nine kills and 17 assists, Makenna Olsen had six kills, Rebecca Mason had six kills and six digs, Ashley Mason had 12 digs and Kallie Strong added seven digs for the Dust Devils.
Douglas loses heartbreaker
MINDEN — Douglas took the first two games against league-leading Bishop Manogue, but the Miners roared back for a 23-25, 27-29, 25-17, 25-16 and 15-13 victory Thursday night.
Talyn Jackson had a great all-around match with 29 assists, 14 digs and 11 kills and Isabelle Peterson added nine kills, five blocks and eight digs for Douglas. Johnnie Saletti had 14 digs and Taryn Allmet had 13 kills. Aubrey Caires contributed nine kills and Maddi Rozier had eight digs.
