Oakdale gallops to win over Central

CERES -- Oakdale didn't let the Central Valley Hawks catch their breath in the Valley Oak League opener Friday night. The Mustangs galloped to their 18th straight VOL win, grounding the Hawks 35-7.

Oakdale didn't look like a team that had lost its starting quarterback, Tanner Combs, to a broken leg before its second game.

Robert Stout looked at home in the role, handing the ball off to four of his teammates for the five touchdowns.

"Rob's doing a great job," said Oakdale coach Trent Merzon. "We believe in him."

The first touchdown came on a 13-yard rush late in the first quarter by senior running back Tim House, who racked up 70 yards in 10 carries for the night.

He was joined in the second quarter by teammates Blake Raham with a run from 10 yards out and A.C Green, who caught one of two completed passes from Stout, this one for 25 yards.

Just in case Central Valley thought the rest of the game would be easier, the Mustangs' Devin Brooks broke open for a 60 yard run on the second play of the second half.

Brooks chewed up most of the ground for Oakdale, totaling 229 yards on 17 carries.

Central Valley had a brief chance to turn the tide later in the third quarter when outside linebacker Estaban Hernandez recovered a fumble.

It was Hernandez's birthday, but the party was over the next play when quarterback Jesse Hatfield threw an interception to Oakdale's Patrick McLean.

Raham finished the Mustang's scoring with a 43-yard run into the end zone. Kyle Derby kicked all five extra points for Oakdale.

On the kickoff, Central Valley players watched the ball roll and Oakdale jumped on it at their own 20 yard line.

The Hawks finally answered when Terrance Sandler broke right and cut back for a 79-yard sprint in the fourth quarter. Danny Ochoa added the extra point.

"We just couldn't get anything going," said Central Valley's coach, Tim Garcia. "You've got to give it to them - they're a well-coached, disciplined, physical team. You can't make mistakes against good teams like that."

Oakdale, which was hit with several 15-yard penalties, including one that negated another touchdown, looked sloppy at times.

"We weren't as clean as we were in the last couple of games," Merzon said. "Our kids didn't play great tonight, but our kids played hard."

Oakdale (4-0, 1-0) has the home field advantage against Ceres next week. The Hawks (2-2, 0-1) will face Sonora.