Summerville in command of MLL

Summerville star quarterback Zach Roberson throws a pass against the Redskins Friday while being rushed by Eli Thom. AMY ALONZO ROZAK/UNION DEMOCRAT

“They came into our house fired up, bringing heat. It goes back and forth, they take the halftime lead, and we shut them out in the second half. Ultimately, we paid the price to win this game.”

“It was just one hard-fought football game,” said Redskin lineman Eli Thom. “Overall, we played hard. But they came up with the big plays when they needed to. This is a game of inches, and they played just that extra inch harder than us.”

With 1:42 left in the contest — and the score tied 21-21 — Summerville had the football, second-and-goal at the Redskin 5-yard line. Bears’ head coach Ben Watson called timeout.

“During that timeout, (left guard) Cody Stoy and I are looking at each other in disbelief,” said Summerville left tackle Beau Bachtelle. “(Defensive coordinator) Sean Leveroos had asked each of us (before the game) to take five minutes and envision something positive. Well, Stoy and I had each envisioned that we’d win this game with a 3-X for a touchdown. And then Coach Watson calls that exact play. Cody and I look at each other and we’re both thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’ ”

Summerville star quarterback Zach Roberson took the snap and handed off to fullback Taylor Gold. Meanwhile, Bachtelle kicked out to his right and took care of a Redskin linebacker. Stoy waited one-half a second and sealed off the defensive tackle. Star tight end Dustin Perkins took care of a linebacker and center Nick Baker moved out the nose guard.

“It was probably the hardest I’ve gone on any play — ever,” said Bachtelle.

“I saw the hole those guys made and I thought ‘I’m getting through it,’ ” said Gold. “So I just dove in and it was one awesome feeling once I crossed the goal line.”

The Redskins tried a hook-and-ladder on the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, but the result was a fumble recovery by Bear linebacker Tyler Byington. Four players later, Summerville sealed the win with a 34-yard Jed Roberson field goal.

“Well, we came out in the first half and showed a lot of strength,” said Calaveras head coach Jason Weatherby. “We stopped them with three 3-and-outs, which is a huge positive for us. But then we teetered out in the fourth quarter. We’ve lost four football game this seasons, and all four are due to frustrating lapses in the fourth quarter.”

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Summerville star linebacker Trevor Monte, who had a game-high 17 tackles. “We’re 3-0 in the MLL, all alone in first place. What a night ... ”

The Bears drew first blood on a 6-yard scoring run by Garrett Burns — led by a pulverizing block from Bachtelle — with 4:54 left in the opening quarter.

Calaveras responded with an 18-play, 66-yard drive that culminated in a second-quarter 9-yard touchdown run from star tailback Monti Wilson. Redskin star center Gary Gellerman made a terrific block to free Wilson.

“There was a nice hole to run through,” said Wilson. “And then once I got through that hole, I was pushing it outside and then I cut up the seam.”

Wilson (5-11, 165, Jr.) ended the night with a game-high 148 yards rushing on 27 carries.

“He is a stud,” said Byington of Wilson. “We flew at him all night because that’s what we needed to do. But he has vision. He is a man. He can make the cut, he can break tackles.”

Running back Gage Keifer scored on a second-quarter 9-yard run to give the Skins a 14-7 advantage.

The Bears retaliated with a 59-yard scoring drive that took just over two minutes. Facing fourth-and-10 at the Redskin 19, Roberson connected with Perkins on a post route into the endzone and the score was 14-14.

Calaveras then marched 67 yards on 12 plays, taking a 21-14 lead on an 8-yard scoring toss from Garrett Bock to fullback Jake Fischer.

“We knew they could run the ball,” said Monte. “But Calaveras mixed up the pass with the run really well.”

All told, Bock completed 8 of his 12 passes for 113 yards.

With 2:42 left in the third quarter, Roberson connected with Burns on a 57-yard scoring play.

“It was a wheel route,” said Roberson, “and I saw their guy on Burns had his back turned and I knew he wouldn’t be able to turn around in time so I just lofted it and led him.”

“Their defensive back that was on me is pretty quick, and he’s good,” said Burns, who had five receptions and a game-high 114 receiving yards. “But I took a few pebble steps out to the right, then cut back and went around him, took off, then I look back and I see this picture-perfect pass coming my way. As soon as I caught it (at the Redskin 30-yard line), I decided that I didn’t care who was chasing me — I’m not getting caught.”

Roberson’s passing statistics were — can you think of a better word? — Roberson-like: 16 completions for 323 yards.

His two touchdown passes upped his season total to 25. His season-passing yardage total sits at 1,944. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior is closing in on two all-time single-season passing records set by Dave Woods in 1997: 30 touchdowns and 2,001 yards.

“I think the records are great accomplishments, but that’s only because they mean our team is doing really well and winning football games,” said Roberson. “What can I say about this offensive line (Bachtelle, Stoy, Baker, Domser and guard C.J. Sorrick)? Think about how many times we passed tonight (33). And what was the result? I got hit once or twice? They’re incredible.”

The Summerville coaches were equally pleased with the play of the Bear defensive line: Bachtelle, Domser, Sorrick, Alex Olson and John Paul.

“They played their hearts out,” said Summerville defensive line coach Kurt Bayers.

The Redskins (4-4, 2-1 MLL) host Argonaut Friday night.

“After the game,” said Wilson, “Coach kept things positive and he told us that we can still go the playoffs, and we believe he’s right. We have to win our last two games and we feel we can do that.”

The Bears (7-1, 3-0 MLL) next contest is on the road vs. Amador. Victories in their final two games will bring the league title to Tuolumne for the first time since Woods and company put up banners in 1997, ’96 and ’95. 

“We have important business to take care of,” said Roberson.