Cavers Overcome Tough Coronado, Seek to Repeat a Historical Season

Art Anderson, San Diego’s head coach, was thinking back to last year at this time. Harry McDonald was talking about something that happened 17 years ago.

The history lessons were sparked by San Diego’s 6-0 victory over Coronado (2-1).

San Diego improved to 3-0.

“1964,” McDonald yelled afterward. “We haven’t been 3-0 since 1964. And you know what? We’re going to be 5-0 before league starts.”

That would take victories against Mission Bay next week and against St. Augustine the following Friday.

The Cavers’ defensive line has been neutralizing offenses. Friday the Caver’s four-man front came through with four sacks late in the fourth quarter as Coronado shunned its running game in favor of an air attack. It never got off the ground.

McDonald got to quarterback Chris Bright on two of the sacks.

“Our defensive line is keeping the quarterback rushed,” McDonald said. “That’s how we’ve been doing it.”

Some experience has helped, too.

“We’ve been real tough for a while,” Anderson said. “We were tough last year, but then the six-week grading period hit us real hard. It was my first year coaching and I didn’t watch the kids’ study habits real well. It cost us 15 players, but those same players are back this year.”

San Diego scored the only touchdown with just over a minute left in the first quarter. Running back Tony Bratcher took a handoff from Joacque Jones, made it to the right sideline before turning upfield and sprinting 38 yards into the end zone.

Bratcher finished with 70 yards on six carries.

But none was talking about offense afterward, at least not San Diego’s offense.

“Hey, we’re just happy to get away with this game,” Anderson said. “I was scared about Coronado. They have a real good football team. We usually blitz a lot, but we only blitzed three of four times tonight out of respect for Coronado’s offense.”

San Diego’s containment strategy worked. Coronado wanted the ball in the hands of Sean Sadler, who entered the game averaging more than 151 yards a game.

The Cavers held him to 58 yards on 11 carries.