UPPER LAKE — Sophomore quarterback Cody Banks returned from what originally appeared to be a significant ankle injury in the first half to rally the Upper Lake Cougars to a season-ending 52-32 victory over the Round Valley Mustangs in North Central League III eight-man football action Friday night in Upper Lake.
Upper Lake (3-2 league, 3-6 overall) scored the game’s final 28 points to erase a 32-24 deficit early in the fourth quarter.
With the Cougars leading 24-12 in the second quarter, Banks was hurt trying to recover a dropped snap from center.
“He took a helmet right on the ankle and had to leave the game,” Upper Lake head coach Vince Moran said. “When he left the game our offense stalled and our defense began to struggle. Everything imploded.”
Round Valley scored twice before halftime to open up a 26-24 lead and that’s where the score remained until the Mustangs added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to go up 32-24.
“It wasn’t looking good,” Moran said.
During a scoreless third quarter the Cougars lost another player as Joey Franklin departed the game with a neck injury that earned him an ambulance ride to the hospital. He was moving all his extremities and doing well when he left the field, according to Moran.
The lengthy game delay as medics attended to Franklin on the field allowed Banks to rest his ankle, according to Moran.
“At halftime he could hardly walk on it and he had trouble getting his shoe on,” Moran said. “But he wanted to go back into the game.”
Although still limping, Banks’ first carry of the fourth quarter turned into a 46-yard touchdown run as he pulled away from the pursuit while racing down the field. Richard Guadaycan added the conversion run to tie the score at 32 with six minutes remaining.
Upper Lake’s defense forced a three-and-out and the Cougars pushed in front to stay on their next possession, a Benat Love 25-yard reverse setting up Guadaycan’s 6-yard touchdown run for a 38-32 lead.
The Cougars scored again after Bradley Sneathen pounced on a Round Valley fumble, Gage Goode’s 7-run making it 44-32. They added another touchdown after the Mustangs went for it deep in their own territory and turned the ball over on downs. Sneathen’s 2-yard touchdown run and Banks’ conversion increased Upper Lake’s sealed the victory.
Upper Lake’s first-half scoring featured a 2-yard touchdown run by Ryan Escue after Guadaycan returned a kickoff 63 yards to the Round Valley 2-yard line; a 4-yard Sneathen run that gave Upper Lake a 12-6 lead; and a Banks 14-yard run that put the Cougars up 18-12 after one quarter.
Guadaycan scored on a 7-yard run in the second quarter to make it 24-12.
The Cougars ran the ball 49 times for 259 yards and eight scores. Banks attempted only one pass, which went for a three-yard loss.
“It was awesome, it felt good,” Moran said of the Cougars’ first non-forfeit victory of the season. “It was awesome the way people stepped up. It was exciting but also nerve-wracking.”
Among those players who played key roles in the comeback were Goode, A.J. Blesio on offense and defense, and Rene Diaz at quarterback until Banks’ return.
“Gage replaced Banks on defense and did a really nice job,” Moran said. “A.J. played on offense and stepped up big-time on defense and on special teams. Diaz helped us keep it together until Cody could return.”
While it was an up-and-down season for one of the youngest teams the Cougars have fielded in years, Moran said it was gratifying to see his players finally pull it together.
“Our inexperience kept showing up, but this gives us something to build on for next year. Those guys are going to grow,” Moran added.
Guadaycan led a balanced Upper Lake rushing attack with 77 yards on 18 carries, Banks added 63 yards on six carries, and Love had 57 yards on just two carries.
Upper Lake’s defense sacked the Round Valley quarterback six times, half of those going to Rocco Bassignani.
