Friday's contest against Osage at Riley Field was more than just "a game" to the Pintos. It was California's Senior Night, and what better way for the evening to end than with a big 61-12 win?
"Our offensive line did a great job of blocking up front," California Coach Marty Albertson said. "We had several touchdowns where our guys weren't even touched. Ryan Korte, Nathan Goans, Curtis Fulks, John Goans, Alexx Lewis, Jason Wolverton and Nathan Squires, they do a lot of the hard work. Without these guys, we're not going anywhere."
Friday's game started off with a Pinto fumble recovered by Osage after the Indians' opening kickoff. The Indians went on to score on an 8-yard run by Tyler Winn. The PAT failed and the Indians had their only lead of the night, 6-0.
"I think Anthony (Price) would've gone all the way with that first play," Albertson said. "He was in the clear, but when he switched hands with the ball, it got knocked out. After that, we came back and played really well."
The Pintos answered with a two-play drive that resulted in a 62-yard TD by Price with 8:52 left in the first quarter. After Efrain Torres' kick for the extra point, California led 7-6.
California's next two possessions ended with touchdowns by Seth Fairchild. First was a 43-yard run, then a 55-yard TD (and the point after by Torres) to improve California's lead to 20-6 with 3:24 left in the first quarter.
Then the Indians fumbled the kickoff return, which was recovered by California's Scott Porter at the Osage 19-yard line. Three plays later Dylan Albertson ran in an 8-yard TD. Albertson hit Logan Rowles with a pass to score the two-point conversion, and the Pintos led 28-6 with 2:11 remaining in the first quarter.
California's first drive of the second quarter started off at the Pintos' 4-yard line and ended with a 70-yard TD by Price. Torres nailed the kick for the extra point and California led 35-6 with 7:15 left in the first half. Osage fumbled the kickoff return, which was recovered by California's Jacob Johnson at the Osage 27-yard line. The play that followed was a 27-yard TD pass from Jaden Barr to Albertson. After Torres' PAT, the Pintos led 42-6.
Barr and Albertson repeated that play to cap California's last possession of the first half, this time for 31 yards. After a missed point after, the Pintos led 48-6 with :22 left in the second quarter.
The Indians got back into the scoring game at the start of the third quarter when Jake Ulmer took the opening kickoff and scored an 86-yard TD. The Pintos blocked the kick for the extra point and the Indians' trailed 48-12.
The Pintos answered with a 7-play drive capped by a 20-yard TD by Fairchild. After a failed PAT, California's lead was 54-12 with 8:21 left in the third quarter.
The Pintos' last possession of the third quarter ended with a 73-yard TD run by Albertson. Torres nailed the PAT kick and California led 61-12 with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter.
Though no more points were put on the board, the Pintos weren't done. The first play of the fourth quarter consisted of a pass by Osage quarterback Bo Dean that was intercepted by California's Jacob Kueffer. With sophomore Alex Dalbey now getting some time on the field as California's quarterback, the Pintos ensued with a short drive that included a 32-yard TD by Walker Borghardt that was negated by a penalty against California.
Osage's final possession of the night came up empty as well, and the Pintos came away with the conference win, 61-12.
California (7-0, 5-0 and state-ranked #8,) had 458 yards from 35 carries and Barr completed 2 of 4 passes for 58 yards. Price led rushing with 11 carries for 166 yards and two TDs. Fairchild followed with seven carries for 147 yards and three Tds. Lutz had seven for 36 yards, Albertson had two for 81 yards and two Tds, and Borghardt had four carries for 27 yards.
Leading California tackles was Rowles with four solos and five assists. Lutz had three solos and three assists. Porter had one solo, four assists, one sack for an 8-yard loss, and a fumble recovery. Albertson had one solo and four assists, and Kueffer had two solos, one assist and one interception. Curtis Fulks had two sacks, one for a 2-yard loss, and one for a 6-yard loss. Squires also had a sack.
Osage (4-3, 3-2) had 27 carries for 108 yards and Dean completed 8 of 20 passes for 50 yards.
The Pintos will play Warsaw (2-5, 2-3) at 7 p.m. Friday, at Warsaw.
"Warsaw has a good quarterback, probably one of the best we have faced this season, who runs and throws well," Albertson said. "We'll have to contain him. I think we'll control him like we did the last two games with good quarterbacks. Warsaw also has a couple of good receivers who are pretty tall. It's going to be their Senior Night, so they'll be excited, but we'll be ready."