After his team recorded a 50-0 non-conference victory over the Long Beach Lions in its LCFL season opener Aug. 14 at Southwest High School, San Diego Stallions co-owner Ray Stewart might be expected to have nothing but praise for the debut effort. He does, and those kind words seem justified by his team’s dominating performance.
“It was a very good way for us to start the season,” Stewart said. “I think our guys came out with a lot to prove. There’s always room for improvement but I consider this a statement game. It proved that we can pass the ball and run the ball.”
All three Stallion quarterbacks tasted success in the minor-pro team’s 2010 opener. Adam Ankers completed 15 of 19 passes for 214 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Chase McGuire, the former standout signal-caller at Castle Park High School, rushed twice for 13 yards and completed one of three passing attempts for a 45-yard touchdown. The former Trojan was also intercepted once. Eastlake High School alum Tim Parker rushed twice for 10 yards, including a three-yard TD.
Romero Crawford, a former standout at Chula Vista High School, rushed eight times for 27 yards and scored a three-yard run in the third quarter.
Andrew Follins rushed seven times for 29 yards and scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter.
Derrek Sykes rushed five times for 27 yards and scored on a 15-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Travis Thomas led Stallion receivers with three catches for 128 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Bryce Lewis caught the 45-yard scoring strike from McGuire in the final quarter.
Parker had a successful afternoon. Besides the TD run, he opened scoring in the game on a 15-yard field goal and tacked on five point-after conversions.
The Stallion defense, led by former CVHS standout David McClurg, was just as active on the day. McClurg had five tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks and two forced fumbles while John Howard had one sack, one forced fumble and one pass deflection.
Ricky Thomas also scored on a five-yard fumble return 30 seconds after Parker’s opening field goal to allow the hosts to put up 10 points on the scoreboard in less than a minute.
The Stallions led 23-0 at halftime.
Stewart’s team was set to get a better gauge of itself when it faced the defending LCFL champion North County Cobras in a game Aug. 21, at Rancho Buena Vista High School.
The Cobras eliminated the Stallions, 52-13, in last year’s playoffs en route to claiming the league’s national championship title.
Both the North County team and the Stallions play in the same division — the LCFL Western Conference’s South Division.
Stewart said his team would lhave to play a near perfect game against the Cobras to find success.
“We will have to play mistake-free football,” he said. “We will have to come to play. We know what the Cobras are capable of. We have to do everything right. We have to play to our capabilities. We’re going to have to play on all cylinders against them — from the quarterback to the running backs, the receivers and the offensive and defensive linemen.”
As an added incentive, Stewart said everyone on the team remembered last year’s playoff game.
For more information, visit the Stallions’ Web site at www.sd-stallions.com.
