PETALUMA, Calif. – A new look Cardinal Newman (1-0) was taking on the defending Vine Valley Athletic League champion Casa Grande on their home turf so some thought it might be an interesting match-up despite the fact the Gauchos were not chosen for the new Adobe "A" League and Casa Grande was placed in the "B" Valley League.

The contest was anything but close after Cardinal Newman came out of the box smoking and scored three TDs by midway through the first quarter while at the same time Casa Grande had only run four plays on offense. The 21-0 early lead got to 28-0 after one quarter, and it stretched to 41-7 at the half en route to a 61-14 victory.

Although he only played two quarters 6-foot-5, 200-pound senior quarterback Jayson Colter completed his first six passes and finished 10-of-11 for 146 yards and two touchdowns, plus he scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter that made it 34-7 Newman.

"It was a really good start," Colter said. "All of our team put in the work.

"It was a good start but we have to keep it going," continued Colter. "The positive of this game was winning, and it always feels good to win but it's just one win and we have to keep striving to get better."    

The second half saw head coach Richard Sanchez use 5-foot-10, 173-pound senior back-up Wyatt Knechtle and 6-foot-3, 211-pound speedy freshman sensation Tino "LT" Retamoza, although Sanchez used him on a series in the first quarter and his 14-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Carmine Guevara closed out the quarter's scoring.

With 2,000 yard rusher Zach Homan graduating there were other new stars besides Retamoza, and backup quarterback that has been transitioned to wide receiver Guevara that contributed.

"Moving guys around, playing multiple running backs and having the freshman quarterback in there," Sanchez remarked. "Everybody got to touch the ball."

"Unselfishness," replied Sanchez to the biggest positive to the contest. "These guys playing multiple positions and playing wherever helps the team, but obviously the fast start helped."

Here's how it unfolded.

Casa Grande won the toss and elected to receive. On their first play 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior quarterback Danny Mercado had his pass tipped at the line of scrimmage and Cardinals senior cornerback Spencer Jacobs corralled it and took it 27-yards for a pick six that opened the scoring just 18 seconds into the game.

Sanchez decided to gamble and went for an onside kick and it was recovered by sophomore Ka'vaughn Penney at the Gauchos 36 yard line. Five plays later Colter found 6-foot-1, 184-pound Zion Cargill on a 25-yard TD pass and it was 14-0 with 9:38 still remaining in the first quarter.

The next Casa Grande series ended with a sack by Cal-Hi sports All State selection and Oregon State-committed 6-foot-3, 255-pound senior defensive end Jesse Myers. Myers, and it looked like he might have a field day rushing Mercado, but he fell hard on his buttocks and although he said he tried to get back in the game his day was done.

After receiving a punt after the sack Cardinal Newman wasted little time opening up the three touchdown lead. Sanchez brought in junior running back Brody Estrela. He had a six yard run sandwiched around a six yard pass to 5-foot-11 186-pound senior and new primary running back Jamari Gentry. On the next play Estrela took a handoff from Colter and raced 13-yards for a score to make it 21-0.

After the TD pass by Retamoza the Gauchos mounted their best drive of the game and scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 1-yard plunge by Mercado, but Newman answered right back with the rushing TD by Colter and an 18-yad TD pass to Gentry and with a 34 point lead the game was pretty much out of reach.

Retamoza came back on after halftime and he blitzed past several defenders for a 36-yard TD run. The next Casa Grande series was a three-and-out and when they punted 6-foot-2, 221-pound senior linebacker Logan Rodrigues got through and blocked the punt. Guevara got his second TD of the game only this time it came when he caught the blocked punt in the air and scored from 7-yards out t make it 54-7 Newman.

Casa Grande (0-1) scored late in the third against mostly reserves by junior Ronan Curley but at that point is was pretty academic.

The game went to a running clock in the fourth and Retamoza and Knechtle combined to orchestrate a 14-play, 79-yard drive culminating in the game's final tally on a 1-yard run by junior Evan Grafe.

Retamoza finished by completing 3 of 3 for 75 yards and the one TD, and he rushed for 60 yards on five carries with the one touchdown

Cargill, who made some acrobatic catches, finished with six receptions for 139 yards and the one touchdown, all in the first half.

Gentry had 33 yards rushing on six carries and 59 yards receiving on four receptions with the one touchdown.   

Sanchez even brought in Kahlio Vaetoe at running back and the 6-foot-4, 294-pound sophomore ran over defenders on his three carries for 28 yards.

Casa Grande lost last opener to Cardinal Newman but it was only a 27-13 final. They won their next nine games before bowing out to Tamalpais in the playoffs.

"For us, we just ran into a buzz saw and sometimes you just get punched in the face and it happens," said Casa Grande head coach John Antonio. "I'm just glad we have nine more of these things to go and I think we'll bounce back.

The bouncing back will start next week when Casa Grande heads to San Francisco to face Balboa.

For Cardinal Newman they hope to keep it going next week when they visit Vacaville.   

             1    2    3   4       T
CN      28  13  13   7  | 61
CASA    0    7     7  0  | 14


RUSHING - RETAMOZA 5-60  1TD,   KEATING  7-55,   GENTRY 6-33,  ESTRELLA 2-19  1TD,  VAETOE 3-28, COLTER 2-1  1TD, GRAFE 1-1  1TD

PASSING - COLTER 9-11 142  2TD,  RETAMOZA 3-3 75  1TD,  KNECHTLE 1-2

REC-  CARGILL 6-138  2TD,  GENTRY  3-55  1TD,  GUEVARRA  2-21  1TD,  RODRIGUEZ 1-12,  KELLEY 1-3

TACKLES- RODRIGUEZ 10  1/2 SK, PENNEY 4  1FR,  S.JACOBS 2  1INT  1TD  WEBB 5,  RAIA 4, MYERS 1 1SK