A Ramona High football team which had been slowed down by the COVID-19 earlier this season appeared to be in excellent health Friday night.
The fourth-seeded Bulldogs rolled to a 34-7 victory over top-seeded Mt. Carmel in the CIF Division III semifinals as running back Cash Jones and tight end Gabriel Lutz each scored two touchdowns and an opportunistic Ramona defense kept the Sundevils’ offense in check.
“We went through some tough times when the COVID hit us,” said Ramona coach Damon Baldwin. “But we knew we were battle-tested with the schedule we played. That’s what makes the difference this time of year.”
Ramona (9-3) will play in a section final for the third time in Baldwin’s 17 seasons as head coach. The Bulldogs will face No. 2 seed Mater Dei Catholic in the Division III championship game on Saturday at Escondido High’s Wilson Stadium. Mater Dei was a 40-8 winner over No. 3 Santa Fe Christian in the other semifinal.
“We’ll need another good week of practice to be ready for Mater Dei,” said junior receiver Azlan Enriquez, who had a 65-yard touchdown reception to start the scoring and also had one of Ramona’s three interceptions on defense.
Jones, a senior running back, rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries as he sured 1,000 yards rushing for the season. Lutz, a senior tight end, had TD receptions of 7 yards from Colin Lester and 4 yards from Devin Sobczak.
Mt. Carmel finishes its season with a 10-2 record, only the second 10-win campaign in school history.
“We were out-coached tonight,” said Sundevils coach Drew Westling. “Hats off to Ramona, it was their night and they deserved to win.”
Ramona reached the Division II final in 2017 with an unblemished 12-0 record before having its season ended by a 33-29 loss to Steele Canyon. The Bulldogs also played in Division III final in 2012, losing to Lincoln.
The visitors opened the scoring midway through the first period when senior quarterback Sobczak connected with Enriquez on a short route over the middle. Enriquez broke to the right sideline, picked up a big block from Jones and scampered 65 yards for the score with 5:29 elapsed in the contest.
Mt. Carmel came up empty on its next possession when the Sundevils missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt. The score remained 7-0 until the Bulldogs followed a Mt. Carmel punt out of the end zone with a 31-yard scoring drive culminated by an option from Lester to Lutz, who was wide open on the left side of the end zone with five minutes left in the first half.
“The plan was to have everyone go to the right side while I sneak over to the left,” Lutz said.
An interception by Enriquez and his 38-yard return with one minute left in the half led to a 3-yard scoring run by Jones which padded the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-0 at the intermission.
The Ramona defense intercepted two es in the first half and sacked Sundevils quarterback Cayden Gent three times.
Mt. Carmel got on the scoreboard with its first possession of the second half, advancing 60 yards on eight plays to a 24-yard TD run by Jayden Virgin. Ramona responded with an 11-play scoring drive which covered 79 yards and took just over six minutes off the clock. Lutz found himself open again, this time on the right side for a 5-yard TD from Sobczak.
Mt. Carmel’s previous low of the season was 13 points in an overtime win over Poway.
“I’m so proud of the way our defense played,” said Lutz, who also played linebacker.
Kyle Patenaude and Jonny Cohen also had interceptions for the winners in addition to Enriquez.
Hoff is a freelance writer.
Ramona 34, Mt. Carmel 7
Ramona 7 14 7 6 — 34
Mt. Carmel 0 0 7 0 — 7
R — Az. Enriquez 65 from Sobczak (I. Ramos kick)
R — Lutz 7 from Lester (I. Ramos kick)
R — Jones 3 run (I. Ramos kick)
MC — Virgin 24 run (Kidanemariam kick)
R — Lutz 4 from Sobczak (I. Ramos kick)
R — Jones 5 run (kick failed)
