Alemany faces tough test against Saugus
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
After working for 11 years as an assistant coach at Hart, Dean Herrington knows how good the Foothill League can be. And that’s why he’ll be the first to admit that his guys over at Alemany might not be ready for a Saugus squad coming off a last-second, adrenalin-pumping 33-28 victory over Westlake on Friday.
“I just don’t know if we’re ready for a top Foothill League team just yet,” Herrington said. “I know it’ll be a good test, though, so we’re looking forward to that.”
Since when has Saugus been considered a top Foothill League team?
Well, even though they had to rely on the throwing arm of QB Desi Rodriguez and the golden hands of WR Chris Aaron to knock off Westlake, the Centurions dominated the first half of the game, holding a 27-0 lead early in the third quarter. Sure, Saugus had a series of defensive mishaps in the second half that helped Westlake get back into the game, but the victory proved the Centurions can compete with the best teams in the region.
The Warriors aren’t one of the region’s premier teams, but they demonstrated they’re ready for a tougher challenge with dominant victories over Franklin and Desert Hot Springs. Through two games, QB Patrick McKernan has completed 24 of 30 passes for 388 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. WRs Jon Mesa, Chris Gant and Nick Cook have played an integral part in the construction of a passing game which, I think, will challenge Chaminade and 3,000-yard guru Ryan Griffin for the Mission League title come November.
Of course, rain is in the forecast for Thursday night, so Alemany’s passing game could run into some difficulty. But Herrington said he’s not worried about that. He’s more concerned with his offensive line. “We just need bigger people on the O-line,” he said. “That’s probably the area that needs the most work.”
What about the defensive line? If Alemany is going to have any success against Saugus, the Warriors need to stop its biggest yard-muncher, RB Ryan Zirbel, who’s rushed for 328 yards and six TDs this season.
“Between Ryan and their quarterback, they’ve got great speed and trying to stop that is probably the toughest thing about Saugus,” Herrington said. “This will be a great test, but it’s not a must win. We’ve got three games in league that are must wins.”
What: Saugus (2-0) at Alemany (2-0)
When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Prediction: Saugus 35, Alemany 17
- Austin Knoblauch
