Oliver Gonzalez, Oak Park football outlast Saugus

VALENCIA — Oak Park came into Friday night’s game against Saugus needing a spark.

Oliver Gonzalez provided just that as the Eagles earned a thrilling 32-24 road win on Friday night.

The senior proved to be a do-it-all weapon for Oak Hill, accounting for four touchdowns (one on special teams) and more than 150 yards of offense in the victory.

He made his presence felt early in the return game, returning a Saugus kickoff 97 yards to tie the contest at 7-all in the first quarter, and he had his hands in nearly every component of the action throughout.

Whether it was a 75-yard run down the left side for a score to extend Oak Park’s precarious lead to 25-17 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter – or his 48-yard dash to paydirt off a screen to give the Eagles a 32-17 lead in the fourth, Gonzalez made his mark.

Repeatedly.

“Yeah, we knew Oliver was really good. We found out tonight he’s great,” Oak Park head coach Casey Webb said postgame, and he emphasized the need for his team to establish a consistent running game later in the season.

“We keep talking about at Oak Park, we wanna run the ball because teams that run the ball can win games in November so we wanna really establish the run and we’re looking forward to winning games all year.”

For an Oak Park team looking to improve on its 3-7 campaign last season in a reshuffled Channel League, Friday’s win was a quality first step.

It was never easy though, as an upstart Saugus team showed resolve – and nearly completed a late two-score comeback in the process.

Trailing 32-17 with 11:47 left in the fourth quarter, Saugus quickly struck back as junior running back Ty Hall put the finishing touches on a drive that pulled them within eight points with 9:12 remaining.

And the hosts had a chance to tie it up late.

Faced with a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with about two minutes left, Oak Park’s defense stood tall on first and second down.

On third-and-goal, junior quarterback Jake Nuttall’s knee was ruled down at the 5-yard-line as he tried to reel in a low snap in the shotgun formation.

On fourth down from the 5, Nuttall looked for sophomore receiver Landon Lattimore in the left side of the end zone, but the pass fell incomplete.

Lattimore had a standout game for Saugus – accounting for 113 yards in just the first quarter – but one final attempt toward the wideout was batted away.

Gonzalez complemented his teammates after they held off the furious rally, saying “every single one of those boys has heart, passion and they have so much grit. I love each and every one of them. They’re my dogs. I’d ride down with any of them.”

The senior also mentioned that the Eagles have loftier goals – and made sure to credit the offensive linemen by name after his standout performance.”

“I feel like there’s a lot to improve, but I definitely trust each and every one of my guys. Isaac Thomas, Taylor Cruz, Desmond Sweeney, Marlon Lopez, and Zach Abergel. They’re my ride-or-die dogs. I trust each and every one of them.”