Photo by Stephen Dachman

The Wilson Bruins were facing some imposing numbers as they rode their team bus to Gahr High on Friday to play the Los Al Griffins.  Four: that’s the number of injuries to Wilson starters, as Ezell Ruffin, center Josh Kocher, corner Ronnie Yat, and DE Nick Haynes.  Worse, 86-0: that’s the combined score of Los Al’s first two games, as a power running game and a stifling, swarming defense have keyed a hot start.  Unfortunately for Wilson, that latter number now stands at 124-0, as Los Al posted their third straight shutout in steamrolling Wilson in a 38-0 victory.

There were very few positives for the Bruins—defensively, they stopped Los Al starting running back Nick Richardson for a six-yard loss on his first play from scrimmage, thanks to a great shoot-the-gap tackle by Chris Gaumer.  But Richardson’s next carry was a 69-yard touchdown, and he continued to slash up the Wilson D, finishing with 15 carries for 157 yards and two scores.

The Bruins allowed 31 points in the first half, while failing to progress further than 41 yard line until a muffed punt by Los Alamitos gave them a new set of downs, which QB Brett Harper took advantage of to throw a 34-yard strike to Josh Bell, who made a phenomenal diving catch (he finished with two catches for 64 yards).  But despite reaching the Los Al 18, a sack of Harper, and one of many stuffs of RB Brandon Robertson (13 carries for 50 yards) turned the Bruins away.

Offensively, Wilson turned the ball over six times (three from interceptions, three from lost fumbles) while only taking the ball away twice. Harper was 9-for-18 for 105 yards, with two of the picks—he came out of the game with an injury in the second half, but both he and Wilson coach Mario Morales expect him to be fine.  Fortunately for Wilson and their walking wounded, they have a bye next week to rest up before league starts, when they open against Millikan.

“Everybody goes into league 0-0,” said Morales after the game.  “We just have to focus on Millikan, and remind our team they have two weeks to get healthy and get ready to play at a high level.  We’re excited to see what’s going to happen in league—we think we can compete.”