Taft Easily Knocks Off Grant, 41-8

The confusion was apparent during a Taft High huddle late in the second quarter. But before the referees could toss a flag for too much time, Coach Tom Stevenson intervened.

“Timeout, timeout!” Stevenson bellowed from the sidelines. “We look like a bunch of rum dums out there.”

Rum dums? Hardly the case.

The Toreadors already had managed three touchdowns for a 20-0 lead against Grant and were only 13 yards from scoring again. Two plays later, after a toss from quarterback Ray Daniels to tight end Dwight Thompson, the “rum dums” had a 27-0 lead. They went on to an easy 41-8 nonleague victory.

While Stevenson was sounding off from the sidelines, Daniels was passing as if he was going for some kind of record. He completed 10 of 20 for 117 yards and one touchdown. He and tailback Kevin Wolfe, who carried the ball 21 times for 109 yards and one touchdown, led the Taft offense, which had 319 yards.

The Lancers’ only score came in the third quarter when linebacker Tony Geltemair blocked Taft’s lone punt and returned it 18 yards into the end zone. The run was more than the net yardage recorded by the entire Lancer offense.

The Toreador defense allowed Grant only 14 yards offense and two first downs--one on a Taft penalty.

Starting Lancers quarterback Jay Ogna lasted only midway into the third quarter. He was 0 for 5 with two interceptions. He was replaced by Stephen Mack, who’s only completion was a three-yard, two-point conversion pass to William Barr. He did have another complete pass--to Taft defensive back Walker Ozar in the fourth quarter.

With the meager offensive effort, three interceptions and a fumble, it was amazing to find Grant coach Bill Foster in a joking mood after the game. But that was the case.

“You got a Kleenex?” Foster said.

“We didn’t execute very well,” he said. “We didn’t have good field position, either. You don’t win ballgames on field position, but it helps.”

Will the loss mean any changes for next week’s game against Birmingham?

“We’re not going to do anything different,” Foster said. “Except maybe tackling and blocking.”

Taft 14 13 0 14 -- 41 Grant 0 0 8 0 -- 8 TAFT--Wolfe 9 run (kick failed).

TAFT--Gilbreath 6 run (2-point pass completed).

TAFT--Daniels 2 run (kick failed).

TAFT--Thompson 13 pass from Daniels (Aparicio kick).

GRANT--Geltemair 18 run (Barr 3 pass from Mack).

TAFT--Daniels 2 run (Aparicio kick).

TAFT--Hankerton 3 run (Aparicio kick).