The top seeded Oakdale varsity football Mustangs used a second half shutout to earn a 35-14 victory over Woodcreek in quarterfinal action in Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 play on Friday night, Nov. 15. Oakdale trailed 7-6 in the second quarter but the deficit only lasted nine seconds.
In the first quarter Oakdale used an opening drive that lasted just over half of the quarter and was capped off by a Richard Flores eight-yard rushing touchdown to give Oakdale a 6-0 lead. That was the only score of the opening quarter. One play into the second quarter, Woodcreek, out of Roseville, scored on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Brody Krupp to go up 7-6. Nine seconds later, Wes Burford broke off a 54-yard rushing touchdown to regain the lead for Oakdale 14-7 with 11:45 left in the half.
Burford found the end zone for the second time in the quarter on a 17-yard rushing touchdown with 7:07 left in the half to put the host Mustangs up 21-7. Woodcreek answered by Krupp scoring his second touchdown of the night on a 58-yard rushing touchdown less than a minute later. With under one minute left in the half, Oakdale was driving in Wolf territory when Grant Gardner fumbled the football, giving it back to Woodcreek at their own four-yard line. Oakdale went into the half up 21-14.
Woodcreek opened the second half with a long drive. Facing a fourth-and-two from the Mustang three-yard line, Joey Melendez was under pressure and threw an incomplete pass for the turnover. As time was winding down in the third quarter Oakdale used a fake punt and Burford picked up the first down by rumbling down field for a 39-yard gain to end the quarter. The third quarter was scoreless for both teams. Oakdale cashed in later in the drive when Burford scored a one-yard touchdown with 9:37 left to play to go up 29-14. Woodcreek’s night got longer when quarterback Melendez got injured and was out for two drives. They also missed a late field goal attempt. Oakdale put the game away when Flores scored on a seven-yard rush for the 35-14 victory.
With the win Oakdale has advanced to the semifinals and will host Destiny Christian Academy on Friday night, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.
Destiny Christian Academy is the five seed in the tournament. They have knocked off 12 seeded Ponderosa 57-7 and upset the fourth seeded Christian Brothers 28-7 thus far in the tournament. The other semifinal game in the Division 3 bracket features a clash of number two and three seeds. Number two West Park will host the three seed Vanden on Friday night, Nov. 22. Winners of the two semifinal contests will meet for the D3 Section crown on Saturday, Nov. 30.
