2 SLO County high school football teams win, 5 fall. Here’s the latest

After a sluggish first half with both teams facing difficulty in earning first downs and moving the ball downfield, Templeton (1-1) and Monache (1-1) traded blows in the second half as the Eagles fell just short in a 20-17 home loss.

After leading 3-0 halftime lead, and then falling behind 13-3 in the third quarter, Templeton transitioned from a run-heavy offense to a passing one.

And for a period of the latter stretch, it worked. Templeton scored two touchdowns through the air in the second half, both connections between quarterback Colter Tannehill and tight end Jaron Sampson.

But the Marauders kept the advantage with a blocked punt and return for a touchdown and some strong running and tackling, holding the Eagles scoreless with the game on the line in the final minutes.

The Eagles were able to secure the ball with 1:33 remaining in the fourth but a Monache punt that pinned Templeton deep on the Eagles’ side of the field led to a four-and-out and Templeton fell just short.

“I’ve been on varsity for three years now, and we’ve been running basically all three years and never passed much,” Sampson said. “I’ve played a lot games where we throw four, five, six times a game. This game is the most I’ve ever seen passed on varsity, and I feel like it went well.”

Sampson said after a tough loss, you just “have to be a leader, pick the team up and come back on Monday and forget about the loss.”

Lineman Anthony Huseby said he felt like it was an even battle of physicality on the line, and an “intense” game overall.

“It was pretty even and for some parts, we had a little more strength and speed,” Huseby said. “Overall, we’ll be ready for next week. We just have to keep our heads up high and keep going.”

Here’s how other SLO County teams fared.

North 28, Atascadero 21

Atascadero Coach Dan Loney said his relatively inexperienced squad had a solid first game of the season effort, falling in the final two seconds on a well-executed fade pass into the end zone by North.

“Our whole offensive line did well and helped our two running backs find holes,” Loney said.

Austin Smith had two rushing touchdowns and Joseph Hyde had a rushing score for Atascadero (0-1).

“(Sophomore) Michael Trejo at quarterback did a great job of managing the game,” Loney said.

Atascadero is at Roosevelt on Friday.

San Luis Obispo 21, Mission Oak 0

The Tigers (2-0) won for the second straight week to open the season, behind three touchdowns from senior quarterback Jace Gomes — two passing and one rushing. Gomes tallied 114 yards through the air.

SLO Coach Pat Johnston said he was pleased with “a successful start with two wins against tough Division 3 competition.”

“We give a lot of credit to Mission Oak,” Johnston said. “They’re a really classy program that obviously enjoyed a ton of success.”

Johnston said that the school expects a big turnout on Sept. 6 for the celebration of 100 years of the Tigers’ football program when SLO hosts Arroyo Grande.

This will be the 96th time the cross-county rivals have faced each other, said Arroyo Grande Coach Mike Hartman.

The game will also include an induction of eight SLO High Hall of Famers into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, and many former SLO High players and CIF champions are expected to attend the contest.

Newbury Park 35, Arroyo Grande 7

The Eagles (1-1) were handed their first loss to a strong team with several Division 1 commits, including Newbury Park quarterback Brady Smigiel who’s headed to Florida State.

“We schedule tough teams because we have to be ready to play tough opponents in the Mountain League and in our CIF playoffs,” said Coach Mike Hartman. “There were a lot of good things that we saw, and I’m sure we’ll see more on film.”

Eagles running back Rocco Koory scored Arroyo Grande’s only touchdown.

Hartman emphasized the importance of continuous improvement throughout the season, aiming to peak at the right time for crucial games. He added the concept of internal versus external noise, advising the team to focus on internal messages and not get swayed by external opinions.

“If we’re at our best this early in the season, then the coaches aren’t continuing to prepare this team to get better as we go,” Hartman said.

Garrett Lloyd played well at fullback for the Eagles, and Zeb DeVries played well at defensive line, recording a couple of sacks, Hartman said.

Arroyo Grande visits San Luis Obispo on Friday.

Paso Robles 7, Garces Memorial 0

The Bearcats (1-1) got their first victory, with the big play of the game coming on Marcus Garcia’s pass to Jonathan Druding scoring on a fourth and goal with 2 minutes to go.

“They had a final drive,” said Paso Robles Coach Matt Carroll. “Our defense stepped up and did an amazing job with Matt Ammann and Talen Freitas making some key highlights, and our defensive line, led by Dominic Messina and Rudy Contreras, played well.”

Paso Robles travels to Madera on Friday.

Mt. Whitney 48, Morro Bay 0

The Pirates (1-1) lost big against a tough team from Visalia.

Morro Bay struggled with turnovers and couldn’t get momentum.

Radden Batalla had a sack in the game.

Morro Bay hosts Wasco on Friday.

Righetti 34, Nipomo 13

The Titans (0-2) are still looking for their first season win after falling at home.

Nipomo is at Pioneer Valley on Friday.