Mary Star Stops Cantwell, 28-13

Mary Star High didn’t have the ball to start the game, but that didn’t stop the Stars from making the first strike.

On the second play of Thursday night’s Santa Fe League football game, Mary Star cornerback Richard Rivera hammered Cantwell quarterback Paul De Lao, who fumbled.

Mary Star’s Matt Redlew recovered the ball and three plays later, fullback Mike Baker rumbled for a nine-yard touchdown and the Stars were on their way to a 28-13 victory at Daniels Field in San Pedro.

“That’s the way we like to play,” Mary Star Coach Mike Marinkovich said. “We’re a physical team. We like to be intense, aggressive and hit people.”

The victory likely clinches the Santa Fe League championship for Mary Star (5-3 overall, 3-0 in league play), which plays at Salesian (1-1 in league) next week. Cantwell fell to 6-2 and 2-1.

Redlew scored two touchdowns in the second quarter on a four-yard run and a 40-yard screen pass from Nick Mariani. Redlew led all rushers with 94 yards in 13 carries.

Vince Orlando had a four-yard touchdown run in the third quarter for Mary Star.

Mary Star’s quick and aggressive defense held Cantwell tailback Carlos Zarate, who had rushed for over 900 yards in Cantwell’s previous seven games, to 38 yards on 18 carries.

The Stars gang-tackled Zarate on his first carry of the game for no gain, setting the tone for the game.

“We wanted to take away their big runner (Zarate),” Marinkovich said. “We wanted to let him know right away that he wouldn’t get his yards easy.”

Cantwell scored its touchdowns on passes from De Lao--a seven-yard toss to tight end Ray Sosa in the third quarter and a 12-yard pass to flanker Matt Asato in the fourth.

De Lao completed 16 of 22 passes for 178 yards. Nine of them--for 108 yards--went to Sosa, his favorite receiver.