UPPER LAKE >> When the undefeated Anderson Valley Panthers, defending North Central League III football champions, scored two touchdowns in rapid-fire succession in the third quarter to open up a 22-12 lead against Upper Lake, Saturday’s game appeared to be headed in the direction of so many other Upper Lake games in the past few years … as in lopsided defeat.
But not this time and not this year.
Trailing by 10 points after four-play and two-play Anderson Valley scoring drives, Upper Lake didn’t panic. Not this time. Not this year.
This time, this year, the Cougars (4-1) regrouped and rallied with 22 unanswered points, including a 14-0 fourth quarter, to hand Anderson Valley (5-1) a 34-22 loss that snapped the Panthers’ 16-game winning streak dating back to 2013.
“We did not panic,” Upper Lake coach Frank Gudmundson said. “The kids knew what they needed to do and they went out there and did it.”
The warm weather along with Upper Lake’s speed and depth finally caught up to the nearly all-run, physical Panthers in the fourth quarter.
“If we play our game, use our speed, we get people tired,” Gudmundson said of the fast Cougars, who used a no-huddle offense at times and a controlled, short passing game all day — much like the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and 1990s — to keep the chains moving and keep Anderson Valley’s starters on the field.
“They were dragging by the fourth quarter, you could see it,” Gudmundson said of the Panthers, who suited up only 14 players. “They haven’t faced a team like us this season. Not one this fast.”
Upper Lake’s comeback began on the fourth play of a drive late in the third quarter with the Cougars facing a third-and-two from just short of midfield (which is the 40-yard line in eight-man football). Quarterback Derek Pritchard hit wide receiver Ray Gutierrez for a short gain initially, but the speedy Gutierrez adjusted his route and made a quick move toward the Anderson Valley sideline and was off to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown. Pritchard’s conversion pass to Zack Sneathen made it 22-20.
Upper Lake moved in front to stay on its next possession following an Anderson Valley punt. Taking over at the Panthers’ 39, the Cougars gained just five yards in their first three plays but converted on a crucial fourth-and-five when a scrambling Pritchard bought himself enough time to find workhorse running back Andreas Santos for a 21-yard gain to the 4-yard line. A wide open Eddie Crandell scored on the next play, catching a pass from Pritchard in the corner of the end zone, to make it 26-22 with 10:50 left in the game.
Upper Lake’s defense, shredded by Anderson Valley’s duel running threat of Jared Johnston (13 carries for 134 yards, TD) and Cesar Soto (14 carries, 92 yards, TD) in the third quarter, forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs when Soto, last year’s MVP in the NCL III, was swarmed under by a host of Upper Lake defenders, resulting in a two-yard loss on a fourth-and-four play at the Upper Lake 34.
The Cougars picked up a pair of first downs and appeared to be on the move before a botched snap led to a 12-yard loss and a turnover on downs.
With plenty of time remaining, Anderson Valley drove to the Upper Lake 25, where the play of the game occurred. Santos, a safety on defense, shot through a gap in the Panthers’ line as the ball was being snapped and nearly intercepted the handoff to Soto. Instead, he plucked the ball out of the running back’s hands and sprinted 50 yards in the other direction for a touchdown that gave the Cougars a two-score advantage at 34-22, Pritchard hitting Gutierrez on the conversion pass.
Less than two minutes later it was Santos who struck again, intercepting a pass with 2:07 remaining, and the Cougars ran out the clock.
Santos’ heroics extended to both sides of the football. On offense, he finished with 74 rushing yards on 21 carries and 79 yards receiving on a team-best nine catches.
“He’s a step-up player. He’s the only back we had left,” Gudmundson said of the predicament the Cougars faced on Saturday when running backs Jacob Kalawaia and Isaac Nevarez were unable to suit up because of injuries. That left Santos and freshman Chris Fecht in the backfield, but Fecht had to leave with a minor injury of his own in the second half.
Pritchard, a junior transfer from Florida, hence the nickname “Florida,” did his part as well. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns, and he scrambled for another 26 yards, nine of those coming on a key run during the go-ahead scoring drive early in the fourth quarter.
“He knows what he’s doing out there,” Gudmundson said of Pritchard, who has 15 touchdown passes so far this season.
The two teams battled to a 6-6 halftime draw, Upper Lake scoring in the second quarter on a 3-yard Fecht run to even things up. Pritchard’s 60-yard pass to Crandell with 6:38 left in the third quarter pulled the Cougars to within 14-12. Crandell worked his way behind an Anderson Valley defensive back and Pritchard hit him in stride, and the quick Crandell promptly turned a modest gain into a huge play.
Upper Lake had plenty of other standouts.
Gutierrez, who had eight catches for 78 yards and a TD, frustrated the Anderson Valley defense several times by simply working his way free off the line of scrimmage and catching quick strikes from Pritchard.
Gutierrez, Santos and Crandell combined to catch all 20 of Pritchard’s completions.
And Chase Goetjen recovered two Anderson Valley fumbles – one in each half – to set up Upper Lake touchdowns each time.
“That’s a big win for the kids and this program,” Gudmundson said. “It’s the biggest win we’ve had in some time. We’re pretty excited about it.”
