Prep football: Archie Williams earns pivotal win against Terra Linda

For the second consecutive week, the defense came to play for the Archie Williams football team. This time around, the offense came along for the ride as well, shaking off two early turnovers to score the final 18 points in a 32-13 win against Terra Linda at San Rafael High on Saturday.

“We just tried to stay calm and stick to our game plan, knowing that sometimes adversity happens and people go on runs,” Archie Williams coach Anthony Jackson said of the two first-quarter turnovers. “We were able to limit that to seven, you know. If that had been 14 that would have been a lot more difficult.”

TL scored the game’s opening touchdown after Mateo Pattani had an interception on the second play of the game. Archie’s next offensive play was a fumble which TL recovered on the 25-yard line.

Milani to Frias TD. Pattani int set up the drive. 7-0 TL #marinfootball pic.twitter.com/qJbXMYtOjw

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) October 5, 2024

The Archie Williams defense came up with a goal-line stand to keep the score 7-0. After both teams exchanged punts, Archie Williams got a turnover of its own when Finn Starsiak bounced on the ball after TL had a bad exchange on the snap.

Two plays later, both runs by Nate Ryan that totaled 44 yards, and the game was tied 7-7.

Ryan 17 yard TD run. Archie ties it 7-7 late in the first. #marinfootball pic.twitter.com/ZfaqZQOcJc

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) October 5, 2024

“The line opened up a great hole on the first one, bounced it outside,” Ryan said. “Second one, I was just faster than them. … Shoutout to my line for holding the blocks.”

Ryan was also involved on Archie Williams’ second touchdown of the day. Jackson dialed up a halfback option pass from TL’s 38-yard line. Ryan found Isaac Pierce wide open downfield for a score that gave the Peregrine Falcons (3-3, 1-1 Mountain) a 14-7 lead going into the half.

“I was kind of saving that for next week,” Jackson said. “We just needed to score right there. We just needed points at that point in the game because we were struggling when we were tied, kind of going back and forth. We just needed something to solidify what we were doing.”

The touchdown catch was the beginning of a big afternoon for Pierce, who scored three touchdowns.

“My thoughts were racing when I’m lined up on the line,” Pierce said. “I go and the ball is in the air and my mind just goes blank – just catch the ball, catch the ball.”

TL (3-2, 0-1) got back in the game with an 11-play drive to open the third that ended with quarterback Joshua Milani hitting Mateo Pattani for a 23-yard score on third-and-long. The Trojans missed the extra point, so the Peregrine Falcons remained in front 14-13 going into the fourth quarter.

Milani to pattani td. Pat miss. Tl down 14-13 #marinfootball pic.twitter.com/D7RjRtmyBm

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) October 5, 2024

Archie Williams answered with a seven-play drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ronan Foley to Pierce – his second score of the day. That put the Peregrine Falcons up 20-13 but Jackson decided to roll the dice and go for two to try to make it a two-score game.

Foley to pierce td. Archie leads 22-13 #marinfootball pic.twitter.com/Ec8lLlzTgw

— Ian Ross (@IRossMIJ) October 5, 2024

“I really like the call,” Ryan said. “I like being aggressive there. We were rolling at that point. I don’t think anyone is stopping us from getting 2 yards at that point.”

Sure enough, Foley found Arlo Maury in the end zone to push the lead to 22-13.

The Peregrine Falcons defense forced a three-and-out then added a 31-yard field goal by Manny Cardenas for a 25-12 lead with 6 minutes, 17 seconds left to play.

The field goal was partially set up when Foley converted a third-and-19 play with a 26-yard pass to Maury, who broke several tackles to rumble down to the 20-yard line. Foley also had a pair of impressive throws to Ales Hurd (29 yards) and Pierce (16 yards) on the previous drive to help Archie Williams seize control of the game.

“(Foley is) still learning how to play quarterback,” Jackson said. “He just started playing football his freshman year and to be kind of thrust into that position at quarterback is big. Now he’s really leading the team and making plays that I don’t even see.”

TL got the ball back down 12 but Pierce ended any hopes of a comeback by intercepting Milani on the first play of the drive, returning it 37 yards for his third touchdown of the day.

“(Pierce) has the potential to be one of the top players in this league, if he’s not already,” Jackson said. “It’s just us getting him in those right spots so he can do and execute what he’s able to do.”

The victory could prove to be a turning point for Archie Williams which had lost three in a row and was in danger of dropping to 2-4 with another loss. Teams need to finish at least 5-5 to be considered playoff eligible.

“We haven’t been playing our best football but to just have a really complete game where we’re all playing well, that’s a big game for momentum and bringing it forward for the rest of the season,” Ryan said. “Going 3-3 instead of 2-4 is a huge thing for playoffs because we have some tough games coming up. I think we have a really good chance to compete for the rest of the season, make the playoffs, and do some damage.”

Archie Williams 32, Terra Linda 13

Redwood Empire Mountain

AW 7 7 0 18 – 32

TL 7 0 6 0 – 13

SCORING SUMMARY

TL–Frias 25 pass from Milani (Schultz kick)

AW–Ryan 17 run (Maury kick)

AW–Pierce 38 pass from Ryan (Cardenas kick)

TL–Pattani 23 pass from Milani (kick failed)

AW–Pierce 11 pass from Foley (Maury pass from Foley)

AW–Cardenas 31 FG

AW–Pierce 37 interception (Cardenas kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–TL, Rodas 3-10, Graham 7-7, Milani 2-7, De paz 1-(minus-2). Totals 13-22. AW, Ryan 8-64, Foley 4-36, Mosher 3-3, Zapata 2-1. Totals 17-104.

PASSING–TL, Milani 18-29-1 195. Sacks 4-28. Totals 18-29-1 167. AW, Foley 9-15-1 158, Ryan 1-1-0 38. Sacks 2-8. Totals 10-16-1 188.

RECEIVING–TL, Frias 4-87, Pattani 7-69, Byrd 2-17, Cizmadia 1-11, #21 1-9, Graham 2-1, Schultz 1-1. Totals 18-195. AW, Hurd 3-69, Pierce 3-65, Maury 2-42, Ryan 3-20. Totals 11-196.

Records–Archie Williams 3-3, 1-1. Terra Linda 3-2, 0-1.