From the time that Dolores High School football players stepped onto their field for a game against Monte Vista on Sept. 27, it was clear that they were outsized and overmatched.
As the game progressed, the size and speed difference between the two teams became increasingly apparent, and although the Bears continued to fight until the final buzzer, they found themselves on the wrong side of a 52-0 final score.
“We were missing a couple of key players, and we knew coming in that this was going to be a tough game,” Dolores head coach Ray Davis said. “We made a few adjustments in the second half and told the guys not to let their heads get down. They responded.”
The adjustments included a more physical approach over the final 24 minutes of the contest that resulted in two Monte Vista turnovers and no Pirates touchdowns.
Among the catalysts for the Bears’ hard-hitting approach in the second half was defensive end Wade Charles, who punished opposing ball carriers and brought Dolores fans to their feet on at least twice after delivering big hits.
“(Wade) is one of our tougher guys, and he plays pretty much wherever we ask him to,” Davis said. “I can’t say enough about the kid – he has heart, and he’s one of the strong leaders on the team. I always expect him to step up and make plays, and he delivers week in and week out.”
While the second half contained some positives for Dolores, the first half was anything but pretty as the Bears surrendered 24 points in the first quarter and 28 points in the second quarter en route to a 52-0 halftime deficit.
Monte Vista junior Kaidon Wenta Kaidon Wells rushed nine times for 156 yards and scored three touchdowns before halftime. Cote Garcia also scored a rushing touchdown, and Tyler Vigil returned a punt for a score.
Not showing up in the statistics were the contributions of Monte Vista’s right guard, Kevin Castro, who used his 265-pound frame to open giant holes for ball carriers and bully undersized Dolores defenders throughout the evening.
“This is one of those games where the best you can hope for is to come out healthy and learn a little bit from it,” Davis said. “We’ll come out here on Monday and make the corrections we need to start getting ready for Rye.”
The Bears matchup against Rye, which could be a favorable one, will take place on the road on Oct. 5. Both teams will enter the contest with 2-3 records and rosters that are similar in size.
“It’s going to be a more matchable game,” said Davis, when asked about his team’s upcoming matchup. “Rye should be a lot more fun.”