Hillmen halt Rams' 15-game run
Placer's defense rises to the occasion, helping the visitors overcome 18 penalties
ORANGEVALE — The Placer High football team needed a stout defense and plenty of patience to snap Casa Roble’s 15-game winning streak Friday night. The Hillmen gutted out a 31-30 victory, overcoming 18 penalties and two turnovers to stun the defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division III champions. "I have to give it to Casa Roble, they’re a great team," said Placer senior Michael Gray, who pounced on a fumble deep in Rams’ territory to set up the winning touchdown — a 2-yard plunge by Josh Turney with 4 minutes, 21 seconds left. The Rams (2-1) didn’t go down without a fight, rallying behind senior Anthony Santiago. He capped a 74-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:06 left. Trailing 31-30, coach Norm Ryan was set on going for the win. But Justin Tann’s fade pass to Scott Patalano floated out of bounds and Placer celebrated a signature win under third-year coach Joey Montoya. “It was a no-brainer — we’re never going for a tie on our home field,” Casa Roble coach Norm Ryan said. Senior Dalton Dyer rushed for a career-high 126 yards for the Hillmen (3-0). “No. 21 (Dyer) played an awesome game,” Ryan said. “He’s a man-child.” Senior Asher Gotzmer added 128 yards and two touchdowns while Turney rushed for 65 yards and two TDs. Senior Cameron Southward kick an all-important 38-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half to give Placer an improbable 17-16 lead at the break. Southward also had two interceptions and broke up a Hail Mary pass by Tann on the final play of the game. The Hillmen found themselves down 7-0 less than three minutes into the game after Houston Wilfley ripped the ball out of Turney’s hands and went 61 yards the other way for a touchdown. Placer answered with an 81-yard march and tied the score on a 1-yard run by Turney. Placer’s offense was erratic early, thanks in large part to 13 first-half penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Montoya. There were 28 flags thrown in the game, costing Placer 132 yards and Casa Roble 90. "I put a lot of the blame on myself," Montoya said. "I lost my composure with the refs. The kids follow their leader, so how can I expect them to keep their composure when their coach is blowing his lid. For the second week in a row, we had some interesting calls. But I’m so proud of our kids. They deserve this. “We wanted to make a statement tonight and we beat a great football team." Placer’s defense gave up 169 rushing yards to Santiago. But Casa Roble’s spread option, no-huddle attack managed just 120 yards through the air. Tann was 11-for-26 with two interceptions. The Hillmen defense came up with its biggest play just after the Rams’ Dylan Rice intercepted a pass deep in his own territory. Senior linebacker Josh Klem stripped Santiago and Gray hustled to recover the ball, leading to the winning score. “We knew that for us to get to the next level, our defense had to play great and they did that tonight,” Montoya said.
Junior Varsity The Hillmen were far from perfect, but the defense held strong and Johnny Foley found tight end Tanner Jay with a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to seal a 28-16 victory. “We didn’t play well in the second and third quarters, we just hit a lull,” Placer coach Rick Foley said. “But we had a nice drive there at the end and we found a way to win.” Placer overcame two lost fumbles to improve to 3-0 on the season. David Daniel, Peter Ho and Will Slane had touchdown runs for the Hillmen.
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Interesting calls is an understatment!! But what a great win, good work fellas. Go Hillmen
Way to go Hillmen football players and coaches! Great game and keep it going through the PVL. We all understand coach Montoya's frustration.... the refs stink! Go Placer!
Keep it rolling great job HILLMEN!
There seems to be a reoccurring theme with Placer Fans, even when you win! You are constantly complaining about officials ruling against you – last week, this week. Hey, why don’t you just sue them?
That was a very good game! very stressful for everyone, but it was worth it! Great Job Hillmen! [: also, iseljox, if you would have been there, you would have been complaining about the refs as well, they were extremely unfair.
but 3-0 thats awesome!
Awsome game(s) coaches and players ALL THREE TEAMS! Thanks....see you next week!
Awesome job Hillmen. Congrads to all 3 teams. I have seen some bad calls but those were horrible. Totally one sided. I think they had a personal problem with Placer especially after the "unsportsman like" conduct call on Montoya. Just goes to show you how tough the Hillmen are even when faced with biased refs. GO HILLMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an accomplishment for Placer! Who'da thunk it that they could bear Casa! These players are such a great group of kids. Congratulaltions players, coaches & parents! Let's give them the support they deserve this Friday against Mesa! Go Hillmen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way iseljox, were you there? Did you happen to see the "roughing the kicker" call against placer during the JV game? The kicker was totally untouched! Nobody from Placer ever got close enough to touch the kicker yet a flag was thrown and after a lengthy meeting by the refs they called it against Placer. Unbelievable! I'd have complained even if they had made that call against Casa. The entire night was like that. I don't know where these refs came from but they better not quit their day job.
If being a ref I so easy, why don't you change things and become one. It is easy to sit and bitch but in reality you really don't know the rules.
You can make 50 dollars agame and listen to all the crap people have to put out, all for 50 dollars.
Women are also allowed to ref so ladies don't back down. Now this might bite into you priivate life and make you change some plans but don't worry there will always be a bunch of people at every game to complain that you don't know what you are doing.
Shhesh!!!!!!
next you'll say all the refs live in orangevale?
That was an entertaining,hard fought,yet frustrating game. Great battle fellas,a lot of heart. I love football,especially watching these boys that I know & like so much. Overcoming obstacles will make you better men. I know this game well & the officiating was horrible. If that was a college or pro game,the tape would be evaluated & the refs reprimanded. That said.... I too feel my fellow fans complain too much;basically every call. About half the calls against us were legitimate. Even though our emotions run high when we see an unfair call,we need to remember as fans that we can only control ourselves,not the refs. Coach Montoya & his staff will work on the players & we need to trust that the refs will officiate with integrity & that they're not "out to get us." Let's not cloud the issue - the team is 3-0 & playing well;and can still get better. Proud of ya fellas!
Great Game! I wish I was there! HIllmen, overcoming 18 penalties is amazing. Don't worry about the nay sayers. To me, you got the best of both worlds: A big win AND things to work on. Keep up the hard work, we are all very proud PLACER.
it has been fun to support the team. it has been embarassing to listen to placer fans with no class. yes I was there and the refs were overly active, but in the end placer also got calls too, which sort of made for an "interesting" game. can't say enough about the kids and the coaches for placer, good stuff. note to placer fan, your starting to make bear river fans look classy. tighten it up and try and enjoy your night out. I sort of hope one of fans takes a swing at a ref just so people can see how pathetic a middle age white guy can be. maybe it will send a signal to us all to grow up and start acting with some of the same composer the kids exemplify. good job hillmen, I am proud.
I was on MaxPreps and I saw some video. I was unable to attend sounds like a great game.
Thanks folks for getting my point.
People forget these guys don't make college or pro money. 50 bucks!
Then they have to run for there lives in the parking lot!!!''
They work by day and have a love for the game, this gets them close.
They might not be the best but show them the respect they deserve.
Placer is looking good. best of luck to ya...
icarealot.......you sure post a lot of maxpreps comments.....work there?
Maybe a Montoya?????
post something with substance
I JUST WANT TO SAY GREAT GAME DEFENSE! AND GREAT BLOCKING O-LINE YOU GUYS DID GREAT WHICH HELPED US WIN THE GAME!
....NOW LETS PUT THAT GAME BEHIND US AND GET READY FOR MESA VERDA! AND ALSO THANK YOU FANS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT THE GAME! YOU GUYS ARE GREAT SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY AGAINST MESA VERDA.
It's a shame that BOTH teams work so hard preparing for this game and the REFS get in the way. Do we really know who is the best team with what the refs did? I heard that a ref didn't ever know the rules on offensive pass interference. The ref didn't know that both players have equal opportunity to the ball and not just the offensive player. KNOW THE RULE BOOK-REFS> That's your job!! So please, refs: get out of the way of the teams. It's not ALL ABOUT YOU. The league should review the tapes and educate these refs about what their job really is. These young men work too hard to let the ref dictate the game.
calitex
calitex- I'm not sure how telling people they can watch video of the game is not substance. That doesn't make since.
I'm a Sebastian, not a Montoya.
Man hold me back, Im starting to like lonestars comments!!!!. I agree with you here too. I was at the game and it would be interesting to see the film and compare it against some of the calls. Not just that but also the time they spent trying to get it right, then seemingly making the wrong decisions. Oh well for fifty bucks I guess thats what you get. Been to a high school girls soccer game lately?? Same stuff. I didnt understand the call against the Coach, it seemed when the flag was thrown he wasnt near the call?? or did I miss something? It was a great game, Placer looks great and its going to be a great season, lets try and enjoy it. PHSJAZZ 1978
Refs are like coachs. They make mistakes. Just think how many times a game coachs call the wrong blitz, wrong play, call for a pass when it is a run down. You'd be amazed that the coachs are responsible for most of what transpires in a game then the refs.
Sure they make mistakes. How many times have you heard a fan yell something and you think "where did that come from"??
The refs only react to what goes on, they have seconds to make the call and stick with it. Fans sit and chat about it five minutes and then yell. When it is all said and done, if you lose it ain't bc of the refs. I never saw a ref fumlbe a ball or throw a pick!
I'm a Whit fan, but saw the last half of your Fri nite game with Casa. You Hillmen did good. Real good. That takes a lot of class for the coach to admit to his behavior. We all lose it. Not making excuses, just an observation. Whit will be waiting for the Hillmen at the last game of the season. Sure to be a good one. Congrats Hillmen on your win. You did the PVL proud.
GOOOOO CATS!