Mission Hills Grizzlies 42, Rancho Bernardo Broncos 0
In the preview for the Mission Hills vs. Rancho Bernardo matchup, I mentioned that it is important for teams not to fall behind against the Grizzlies. On Friday Rancho Bernardo fell behind and much like every opponent that Mission Hills has faced, the Broncos ended up paying the price.
The game started slow and only had the Mission Hills Grizzlies up by a score of 7-0 by the end of the First Quarter. In the second quarter, a late sequence of events would prove to be the turning point of this game. With the score at 14-0, the Rancho Bernardo Broncos were marching down the field and on their way to scoring their first touchdown of the night and bringing the game to within seven points. They got deep into their territory and could taste the end zone. As they looked to score, the Mission Hills Grizzlies came up with four huge defensive stops and forced turnover on downs when Rancho Bernardo failed to convert on fourth down.
Instead of taking a knee and going into the half up by two touchdowns, the Grizzlies smelled the opportunity to put Broncos away. With very little time left on the clock, the tandem of Jack Tuttle and Chris Olave went on a brilliant streak of time preserving passes. With clock management and precision on full display, the Grizzlies were able to go almost the full length of the field and score a touchdown before the second quarter ended. To say the change of momentum was critical here, would be an understatement. Instead of trailing by a mere seven points, the Broncos now faced a three-touchdown deficit. The Grizzlies would match the twenty-one points they scored in the first half and go on to win the game by a final score of 42-0.
The Rancho Bernardo Broncos will be looking to rebound in Week 8 as they journey to take on the Vista Panthers. The Mission Hills Grizzlies will be on the hunt for an incredible seventh win in a row. To stay perfect the Grizzlies will have to defeat the La Costa Canyon Mavericks, who also happen to be undefeated. Both of these games are scheduled to take place Friday, October 13 at 7:00 P.M.
PREVIEW: On paper, Friday’s matchup between the Rancho Bernardo Broncos and the Mission Hills Grizzlies looks like David versus Goliath. At the moment, the Broncos are 1-4 on the season, the Grizzlies on the other hand have yet to lose a game this season.
Fitting of the name ‘Grizzlies’ Mission Hills has been on an absolutely monstrous pace. The Grizzlies are beasts on offense, and are eating their opponents up on the defensive end. Over the course of their five-game win streak the Grizzlies are averaging over forty points per game, and only once has their opponent been able to score double digits. To put their advantage over their opponents into perspective, the Grizzlies have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 215-38. As a bit of bad news for any opponent taking on the Grizzlies, most scoring allowed has come in the second half. At that point in the game Mission Hills has already built a steady enough lead, to distance themselves from the opposition and prevent any kind of comeback.
So how on earth do the Broncos win this one? “Easier said than done” but simply put, the Broncos must play the way they did in their last game. Rancho Bernardo’s only win of the season came in Week 5 with a convincing victory over the Mt. Carmel Sun Devils. The Broncos rekindled their offensive fire and put out one of their highest scoring games of the season. Combine their offensive effort with a defense that only allowed thirteen points, and you could make the case that the Broncos found a comfortable groove.
It is also important to note that Rancho Bernardo did not play this past Friday. If the Broncos can carry over their momentum from their Week 5 win then they can keep themselves in the game, and maybe even put themselves in the position to win towards the end. One thing the Broncos definitely can’t afford to do is fall behind early on in the game. There is more than enough evidence to suggest that it is not a good idea to fall too far behind against the Grizzlies. It has not ended well for all five opponents who have fallen into the claws of the Grizzlies early on this season.
Kick-off takes place 7:00 P.M. Friday at Rancho Bernardo High School. For postgame coverage, don’t forget to watch the Prep Pigskin Report Friday at 10:30 P.M. where you’ll see all the latest team news and highlights. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @KUSIPPR and @RedJacketArmy for live updates and all kinds of PPR exclusives.
