Oakdale hammers Vanden

FAIRFIELD -- Nate Madsen was on the hot seat Friday night, given the role of trying to defend Vanden High's explosive Chris Broadnax -- a Division I recruit with speed, size and a trusty set of hands.

That what's the scouting report said, and Madsen had devoted his week to learning everything he could about the Sacramento State-bound Broadnax.

It took only one play for Oakdale's cornerback to answer the question of whether he was up to the challenge.

Shadowing Broadnax on a crossing pattern, Madsen grabbed a deflection off the receiver's shoulder and returned it 27 yards for a TD.

That triggered a 56-point onslaught, as Tim House bulled in for four TDs and the Mustangs dominated Vanden 56-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 quarterfinal pitting the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.

"I think one of our guys got a hand on the ball, and then it bounced up in the air," said Madsen, who had an interception in the end zone in the second half. "Getting a defensive touchdown early in the game can turn everything around."

Oakdale had gone up 14-0 on House's TD runs of 8 and 15 yards, as the Mustangs (11-1) used the deceptive Wing-T for drives of 75 and 73 yards.

Vanden came back firing from the two-touchdown deficit, as Ben Scott saw Broadnax going left to right under coverage. Oakdale's strategy was to keep Broadnax in front of the defensive backs, hoping to prevent a big play: Broadnax had a 95-yard TD in Vanden's playoff opener.

"I saw lots of film and could see he was big and fast, and he was one of the more physical receivers I've faced this season," said Madsen, whose 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame was identical to Broadnax. "After the first few plays, I realized I could run with him, as well."

With Vanden (10-2) unable to exploit Broadnax, its usually potent pass attack stalled.

Not that it mattered, as the Mustangs scored virtually every time they had the ball -- and even when they didn't.

Oakdale came out in the second half up 35-0, but Vanden was determined to pass its way back in the game. Scott lofted a pass into the right flat, but linebacker Charlie Gilstrap cut in front of a receiver and returned it 50 yards for a TD.

"Any time your defense can score, it's a huge boost to everyone," said Madsen, whose interceptions were two of the five turnovers forced by the Mustangs. "I really wasn't expecting something like this."

The victory sends Oakdale to top-seeded Inderkum (12-0) for next week's semifinal.

The gameplan will be similar: Run, run and run again.

With tackles Timmy Barnard and Marcos Camacho, guards Monty Monlux and Ricky Medeiros and center Joey Machado manhandling Vanden's front seven, House (16 carries, 127 yards) and wingbacks Devin Brooks (20-157) and Blake Raham (5-59) were picking up yardage in huge chunks.

More often than not, the Vikings were caught tackling quarterback Robert Stout after the ball already was gone.

Oakdale had 52 plays, with 49 runs -- two pass attempts and a sack were the other. It piled 422 yards on the ground, more than 8 yards per attempt.

"We saw on film that their defense hit high, so we made it a point to get under them to drive them back," said the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Barnard.

Vanden has a slight edge in time of possession in the first half, not that it mattered.

After a turnover spoiled the Mustangs' first drive, House ripped off a 33-yard run and Brooks had a 27-yard dash on the second drive, with House ultimately scoring from the 8.

On House's next TD, he got into the end zone standing up -- as two defenders chose to tackle Stout instead, Kyle Derby's PAT kick made it 14-0.

Madsen delivered his play, then after another stop, Oakdale took over on its 35 and marched again -- with House scoring from 21-yards.

"I looked downfield and all I saw was linemen clearing the way for us to keep running," House said. "They opened the holes at the line, then kept going downfield to hit someone else. Give it to those guys, because they make the Wing-T."