Everyone gets into the act in Santa Rosa's victory

Santa Rosa Academy quarterback Daniel Marlow dives into the end zone Saturday. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

The Santa Rosa Academy football team started off its season with a 42-6 win against San Jacinto Valley Academy Saturday morning.

Two touchdowns in the first quarter gave the Rangers an early lead thanks to quarterback Daniel Marlow and fullback Caleb Delgado, who each took a turn running the ball into the end zone.

For Marlow, this first touchdown was long-awaited after an injury in last season’s opener had him out for the season.

“It feels good to have that closure with my first game as a quarterback,” said Marlow. “To know I went out and did it feels good.”

The Rangers couldn’t convert the next drive into a touchdown but their defense forced a quick turnover on downs from the Wolves in just four plays and less than 10 total yards gained. Santa Rosa’s offense hit the field running -- specifically, running back Wyatt Spykstra for 42 yards, putting them within 11 yards of the goal line.

Brendan Quesada caught the short pass from Marlow on the next play and practically coasted over the goal line to put the Rangers up 20-0 before the end of the half.

Racking up points was, of course, the goal for winning the game, but Marlow said he had a different motivation for logging the touchdowns.

“My biggest goal was to get our lower classmen in,” Marlow said. “I promised my backup quarterback I would try to get him in the game, so I wanted to score enough to do that. I really wanted him to play.”

Marlow rushed for nearly 50 yards on the next drive and got it to Jack Warren for a quick 1-yard run into the end zone to put the team up 28-0 just before the eight-minute mark of the third quarter.

Then, after the next Wolves drive ended in a Santa Rosa interception by Quesada, in just five plays the Rangers had another touchdown in the third quarter. thanks to another rush from Warren.

But his two touchdowns weren’t his personal highlight for the game.

That came in watching his teammates excel—namely his best friend, Spykstra, on the next possession. Just one play after the Wolves’ only touchdown of the game, the senior fullback caught a lateral pass and ran it for 51 yards into the end zone to seal the deal on the Rangers’ win.

“My highlight was watching [Wyatt]. It made me feel amazing to watch him prove everyone wrong,” said Warren. “Not a lot of people thought he could play offense, but I always knew he could do it.”

Each player responded similarly about their highlights for the game; it all included seeing each other succeed.

“How they approach the game and having that senior leadership makes it a lot better,” said head coach Perry Jones. “The older guys see the younger guys working and they support them at practice so they’re their biggest fans when they get in.”

The athletes echoed their coach’s sentiment.

“I’ve said it before, we are genuinely a family here,” said Warren. “We all deserve a chance to be out there and play, so we like to see the younger guys get out there.”

The Rangers will continue their season next Saturday at Nuview Bridge in Nuevo at 7 p.m.

Brendan Quesada heads up the field after making a catch. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 Jack Warren celebrates as he heads into the end zone for a touchdown. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 Linebacker Nick Welty (52) leads the defensive charge against an opponent. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

Dominic Vicente-Thomas breaks up a San Jacinto Valley Academy pass. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

Wyatt Spykstra finds some running room for the Rangers Saturday. (Photo by Rick Rowell)