RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - With the Cordova Lancers holding onto a slim three-point lead with nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of their season opener against the Sheldon Huskies inside Lancer Stadium on Friday, Aug. 28, the game was anyone’s for the taking. Fortunately for Cordova, the player who decided to take control of it was wearing a Big Red uniform. 

On 2nd-and-9 from their own 41-yard line, Huskies' junior quarterback Gavin Workman dropped back and tried to thread a pass over the middle of the Lancers' defense as he had looked to do throughout the game. Only this time, he didn't see Cordova senior Troy Simmons breaking on the ball from safety, who would intercept the pass and return it approximately 55 yards up the left sideline for a game-changing touchdown. The play gave Cordova all the momentum thereafter as they cruised to a 33-16 victory and were able to kick off their season with a big win. 

Senior halfback Trey Wallace prepares to straight arm a Husky player as he makes his way down field. Zachary McIntire (No.18) makes a great block to help Wallace gain more ground.

For Lancers' head coach JP Dolliver, the interception was the turning point of the game and it came at an unexpected time as junior starting safety Gino David (who recorded an interception at the end of the first half) had just exited the game due to muscle cramps, making Simmons’ highlight even more memorable. 

“It was big because he was replacing Gino (David) because he was cramping up,” Dolliver said. “Troy doesn’t really play that position much. Him being in the right place at the right time and having the athleticism to explode on that play, that’s how good teams have to finish games. Otherwise, you leave Sheldon in there and it’s still a three-point game and who knows?”

Up until that moment, the game was a close back-and-forth battle as both teams dealt with turnovers and penalties, something that often happens in early season games. The Lancers (1-0 overall) went into halftime with a 12-8 lead following two first half rushing touchdowns from their senior running back duo of Zachary McIntire and Trey Wallace, who were the focal points of the Cordova offense on the night.

Cordova’s Head coach JP Dolliver praises his players after a hard-fought victory against Sheldon.

The Huskies (0-1 overall) did take a 16-12 lead midway through the third quarter on the most explosive offensive play of the evening when Workman connected with senior wide receiver Nazarii Hnatiuk on a 64-yard scoring strike on a crossing pattern at midfield that saw Hnatiuk outrun the Lancers’ defense the rest of the way. Workman finished the game going 5-of-15 passing for 106 yards, with one touchdown and one interception for the Huskies. On the ground, sophomore running back Vincent Bragdon scored from three yards out on Sheldon’s first possession of the game. 

For Cordova, it was all about a rushing attack that was led by two third-year varsity players in the aforementioned McIntire and Wallace. Wallace, who bulked up to 230 pounds this offseason as he makes the transition to a more full-time role at running back, led Cordova with 16 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns. McIntire meanwhile added six carries for 35 yards and a score, but also did damage as a receiver out of the backfield - tallying six receptions for 76 yards. Senior quarterback Terryn “TK” King also added a six-yard touchdown plunge early in the fourth quarter.

Senior running back Trey Wallace powers his way around end for a long gain against Sheldon.

 

For Dolliver, getting a win out of the gate validates an offseason of hard work by the Lancers.

“It feels like a bit of a relief,” he said postgame. “It feels like the work we put in all offseason meant something and it showed up. That is a very well-coached Sheldon team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes. They’re big up front, they've got athletes, they've got a pretty decent quarterback that can sling it. I thought we played with a lot of tenacity.”

The Lancers will look to maintain homefield advantage this Friday, Sept. 4 when they host visiting Kennedy (0-1 overall), with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside Lancer Stadium.

Senior defensive back Troy Simmons returns a pass interception for a touchdown against Sheldon.