ESCONDIDO – When the Rancho Bernardo High School football team beat archrival Poway last week, it snapped a five-game losing streak to the Titans.
What it apparently also did was give the Broncos a swagger on offense that perhaps was lacking last season.
After a solid game one rushing attack, the Broncos controlled Friday’s game through the air while causing six turnovers, resulting in a 41-7 win at San Pasqual.
“We’re trying to be balanced,” Rancho Bernardo coach Eric Weddle said. “Last year we really struggled throwing the ball. It takes everyone. It’s not just on one individual. It’s been a huge emphasis since January that we’re going to be more physical, we’re going to be tougher, we’re going to block better, we’re going to tackle better, and we’re not going to be inept ing.”
When defensive lineman Isaiah Donald recovered a fumble on the Broncos’ first drive, the Eagles (0-2) took advantage.
They marched 73 yards on six plays, culminating in an 8-yard touchdown from Robert Renteria to Jaiden Whitfield. San Pasqual seemed poised to control the game.
But in the first half alone, the hosts had three first-half turnovers, allowed Trey Durham to throw a pair of touchdown es and be nearly perfect, then gave up the second-half opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown by Silas Christensen.
That was about all the Broncos (2-0) needed to seal it.
“We’re a young team so we expect mistakes, but not that many,” San Pasqual coach Tony Corley said. “You can’t function. We’re better than that. RB’s a pretty physical team. Well-coached obviously. They just caused us a little panic.”
Durham connected for two long touchdowns in the first half, 42 yards to Jayden Bess in the first quarter for a 14-7 lead and 33 yards to Brady Strachan on the next drive. He found Jacob Andrews-Johnson streaking down the field for a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete his night.
Durham finished the night 13-for-15 for 269 yards.
“We definitely have confidence,” said Durham, who completed his first 10 es. “We have a lot of trust in our wide receivers. Protection was great. We sat back there all day and just delivered the ball.”
Slot receiver Hugo Gonzalez caught six balls for 73 yards while Bess, Strachan and Andrews-Johnson each had three catches.
The Broncos defense held talented junior quarterback Robert Renteria to 171 yards ing, only 22 in the second half. Marcus Rocha caught seven es for 90 yards for the Eagles, who couldn’t get much going on the ground either until the game was already decided.
Rancho Bernardo’s defense recorded three sacks, a pair of interceptions and caused two fumbles, all of which seemed to come at critical junctures.
“It’s a unique offense we went against,” Weddle said. “You have to be rule-based. You have to trust your teammates. The emphasis and ownership of our defense was, ‘I’m just going to do my job. I’m going to trust that my other teammates are going to do theirs.’ That’s how you play sound football.”
Rancho Bernardo 41, San Pasqual 7
Rancho Bernardo 14 8 12 7 – 41
San Pasqual 7 0 0 0 – 7
SP – Whitfield 8 from Renteria (Tuin kick)
RB – Cobak 4 run (Hutchinson kick)
RB – Bess 42 from Durham (Hutchinson kick)
RB – Strachan 33 from Durham (Gonzalez run)
RB – Christensen 95 kick return (kick failed)
RB – Weddle 4 run (kick failed)
RB – Andrews-Johnson 43 from Durham (Curry kick)
