Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Game of the Week: Ramona at Poway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42ALIWJCGLQ

Titans start fast, throttle Bulldogs in lopsided upset

POWAY – After a slow start to the season, Poway appears to be hitting their stride at the right time. Against No. 10 Ramona on Friday night, the Titans flew out of the gates with touchdowns on their first seven possessions on their way to a convincing 49-22 upset.

“We were able to jump on them early and I think that was the key for us. We just kept the momentum going all the way,” said Poway head coach Damian Gonzalez. “The outcome was very much a surprise as far as the points being so big.”

Early on, Poway (4-2, 1-0 Palomar) turned Ramona miscues into quick points. Ahead a score on a Bernie Vassallo 11-yard touchdown run, the Titans took advantage of a short field from a Ramona botched punt, driving 31 yards in less than a minute to take 14-point lead on an Evan Gray three-yard run.

“We had a really nice game and everybody played together,” Vassallo said. “We were ready.”

After a Ramona fumble to end the first quarter, Poway wasted no time moving down the field for their first of three second-quarter touchdowns, a one-yard keeper by quarterback Gabriel Isaak. Gray scored on touchdown runs of four and five yards and the Titans defense shut down Ramona to give the hosts a commanding 35-0 lead at halftime.

“You can’t turn the ball over on the road,” said Ramona head coach Damon Baldwin. “You give a chance for a good team to get up on you like that and then you’re out of your plan.”

Poway extended their lead with a Vassallo 28-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half. After running back Tyler Jackson got Ramona (4-2, 0-1) on the board with a two-yard score, Poway had little trouble moving the ball for another score, a 15-yard run by receiver Stetson Soffer to give the Titans a 49-6 lead.

“Our offensive line did a great job tonight,” Gonzalez said. “We had a lot of kids carry the ball and we had some big time yards tonight.”

Poway slowed down in the fourth quarter, but the damage had already been done. Jackson scored twice in the final three minutes for Ramona, as part of a 250-yard performance that was lost in a Bulldogs defeat.

“He was back to his normal self tonight. He did a great job,” Baldwin said. “He’s a warrior, I think he’s one of the better backs in the county and he’s just running hard and letting people have it.”

In addition to feeding off a Homecoming buzz, Poway also had payback on their minds against Ramona. The Titans had lost to the Bulldogs each of the past two seasons, including a 50-14 defeat in 2009.

“They’re like an upcoming rival. It’s our third year playing them and we’ve lost two times in a row,” Vassallo said. “Now they’re in our league so it’s even more of a rivalry.”

After losing their first two games of the season, Poway has now won four straight. The Titans executed crisply on both sides of the ball and played a step faster than Ramona for the entire game, rolling up nearly 400 yards of offense and limiting a Bulldogs offense that came in averaging 32 points per game.

“Our kids rose to the challenge,” Gonzalez said. “They knew it was going to be a hard-hitting game but they were really prepared for it. That makes a big difference.”

Ramona has now lost two in a row after winning their first four. Baldwin said he was disappointed with the Bulldogs’ energy in their Palomar League debut.

“We just sort of played with our feet in the mud a little bit. It was like we were sort of a step slow tonight,” Baldwin said. “We were not the same team that we have been in these first five weeks.”

Poway running back Bernie Vassallo fights through a tackle attempt by Ramona defensive lineman Bolton Lenard

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Fiesta de Reyes Dia de los Muertos, Summer Salt and The Symposium, Scream Diego

Events October 10-October 12, 2024

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42ALIWJCGLQ

Titans start fast, throttle Bulldogs in lopsided upset

POWAY – After a slow start to the season, Poway appears to be hitting their stride at the right time. Against No. 10 Ramona on Friday night, the Titans flew out of the gates with touchdowns on their first seven possessions on their way to a convincing 49-22 upset.

“We were able to jump on them early and I think that was the key for us. We just kept the momentum going all the way,” said Poway head coach Damian Gonzalez. “The outcome was very much a surprise as far as the points being so big.”

Early on, Poway (4-2, 1-0 Palomar) turned Ramona miscues into quick points. Ahead a score on a Bernie Vassallo 11-yard touchdown run, the Titans took advantage of a short field from a Ramona botched punt, driving 31 yards in less than a minute to take 14-point lead on an Evan Gray three-yard run.

“We had a really nice game and everybody played together,” Vassallo said. “We were ready.”

After a Ramona fumble to end the first quarter, Poway wasted no time moving down the field for their first of three second-quarter touchdowns, a one-yard keeper by quarterback Gabriel Isaak. Gray scored on touchdown runs of four and five yards and the Titans defense shut down Ramona to give the hosts a commanding 35-0 lead at halftime.

“You can’t turn the ball over on the road,” said Ramona head coach Damon Baldwin. “You give a chance for a good team to get up on you like that and then you’re out of your plan.”

Poway extended their lead with a Vassallo 28-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half. After running back Tyler Jackson got Ramona (4-2, 0-1) on the board with a two-yard score, Poway had little trouble moving the ball for another score, a 15-yard run by receiver Stetson Soffer to give the Titans a 49-6 lead.

“Our offensive line did a great job tonight,” Gonzalez said. “We had a lot of kids carry the ball and we had some big time yards tonight.”

Poway slowed down in the fourth quarter, but the damage had already been done. Jackson scored twice in the final three minutes for Ramona, as part of a 250-yard performance that was lost in a Bulldogs defeat.

“He was back to his normal self tonight. He did a great job,” Baldwin said. “He’s a warrior, I think he’s one of the better backs in the county and he’s just running hard and letting people have it.”

In addition to feeding off a Homecoming buzz, Poway also had payback on their minds against Ramona. The Titans had lost to the Bulldogs each of the past two seasons, including a 50-14 defeat in 2009.

“They’re like an upcoming rival. It’s our third year playing them and we’ve lost two times in a row,” Vassallo said. “Now they’re in our league so it’s even more of a rivalry.”

After losing their first two games of the season, Poway has now won four straight. The Titans executed crisply on both sides of the ball and played a step faster than Ramona for the entire game, rolling up nearly 400 yards of offense and limiting a Bulldogs offense that came in averaging 32 points per game.

“Our kids rose to the challenge,” Gonzalez said. “They knew it was going to be a hard-hitting game but they were really prepared for it. That makes a big difference.”

Ramona has now lost two in a row after winning their first four. Baldwin said he was disappointed with the Bulldogs’ energy in their Palomar League debut.

“We just sort of played with our feet in the mud a little bit. It was like we were sort of a step slow tonight,” Baldwin said. “We were not the same team that we have been in these first five weeks.”

Poway running back Bernie Vassallo fights through a tackle attempt by Ramona defensive lineman Bolton Lenard

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Game of the Week: No. 1 Oceanside at No. 3 Poway

Next Article

Game of the Week: Mira Mesa at Escondido

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader