Shorecrest Scots corral Mavericks 52 - 24

#53 Gabe Reyes makes his debut at Fullback

Text and photos by Rob Oxford

Armchair Quarterbacks will be having a field day this week wondering how the Shorecrest Scots managed to put up 52 pts., their highest total all season, on league opponent Meadowdale and why it took the 7th game of the season to accomplish such a feat.

The simple answer? A conscious effort by the Highlander Coaching Staff to adjust their game plan in order to defend against a team that passes more than they run. That was the defensive scheme anyway. Why they chose to go with 6 down lineman and move Cole Francis to the position of blocking Tight End, something they'd not attempted all season, had even the casual football fan asking; "why haven't we been doing this all year?"

Friday Night the normally effective Scots' passing game was shelved for a more brutal and powerful running attack. Attempting only 6 passes and completing 50% of those, QB Eladio Fountain - who successfully plowed the ball into the end zone twice himself - instead marched his team back and forth down the field relying heavily on the the legs of 220 lb. Running Back Markus Selzler, also a Scots Defensive starter and Center turned Fullback, 260 lb. Senior #53 Gabriel Reyes.

#4 Gavin Dalziel Straight through the uprights.

Reyes, who usually spends his Friday Nights making holes, was having the time of his life busting through them for a total of 80 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. His first as a varsity player.

Selzler, who every Highlander fan knows, plays the game with great intensity, led the Scots’ physical rushing attack with 278 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries. Bulldozing his way into the end zone on several occasions and running through the Meadowdale defense like one of General Patton's tanks.

Not to be overlooked, RB Cyris Filoteo, whose speed in the open field is unmatched, averaged 6.5 yards on the night and finally dashed into the end zone on a 14 yard carry for his first score of the season to put the Scots on the board first.

Meadowdale drove inside the Shorecrest 25-yard line on each of its first three possessions, but came away with no points after a missed field goal and several stout defensive stands turned the ball over on downs.

As the first half expired, Shorecrest appeared to hold all the cards heading into halftime with an impressive 24-7 lead.

#7 Markus Selzler punishes a Maverick Defender

In the third quarter, feeling the game may be getting away from them, Meadowdale attempted to break the plane on a fourth-and-goal just inches from the end zone but were stuffed by the Scots Goal Line Defense. Unfortunately for the Shorecrest, a mishandled snap on the following possession, allowed the Mavericks to record a Safety and add 2 pts. to their side of the scoreboard which at this point read Shorecrest 31 - Meadowdale 16.

Of special note, making his varsity debut was Sophomore Jordan Glesener #58. Called upon earlier in the day to fill the hole vacated by Damarius Kellogg-Duncan who had been moved to Center in place of Reyes, Glesener along with the rest of the Scots Offensive Line did a commendable job moving the line of scrimmage allowing the Scots ball carriers to tally a additional 21 points in the 4th quarter.

Sophomore Gavin Dalziel, who was again perfect on the night, may have been particularly motivated after spending Thursday afternoon with former Husky HOF'er and ex Los Angeles Raider Jeff Jaeger. Jaeger, who was invited to speak at the Scots Team Diner after Thursday's practice, arrived early in the day and spent much of his time mentoring WesCo's top kicking prospect.

The adjustments Shorecrest made on Friday night, allowing them to enjoy their 52 - 24 win over Meadowdale, may have left some regular starters questioning Coach Christensen's methods. For those players, the toughest thing to remember is that winning takes sacrifice and occasionally that sacrifice may fall upon their shoulders. Luckily, in High School Football ... WINNING as a team can cure most every ill.

Correction: photo captions for 2nd and 3rd photos were switched and have been corrected.