Modesto JC loses shootout to American River in OT

Danny Velasquez stood in the Modesto Junior College trainer’s room with a bag of ice balancing on his right wrist, the one with which he throws.

“I got blew up at the end of the first half,” said Velasquez, as a team trainer secured the bag in place with Saran wrap. “I can’t even bend it.”

Yet, time and time again, Velasquez led the Pirates on scoring drives – four alone in the second half and another in overtime – as MJC nearly pulled off the upset before falling 55-49 to American River in double OT Saturday. The Beavers entered the game ranked second in California by two statewide polls.

The first true freshman to start at quarterback for Modesto since Ryan Thorson in 2003, Velasquez was pressed into action last week when three quarterbacks ahead of him went down. The 2016 Central California Conference MVP out of Turlock High got the nod this week and, after a sluggish start, began to feel comfortable and make things happen with his arm and his legs.

But a botched handoff exchange on the first play of the second overtime was recovered by American River (2-0) and the Beavers scored four plays later on a Hunter Rodrigues’ quarterback keeper.

“I think that’s just from a lack of reps,” said head coach Rusty Stivers, who was without starter Shawn Munoz after he suffered a knee injury in last week’s season-opening loss to San Mateo. “It’s just a matter of reps.”

Velasquez was having none of it.

“I rode it down (the line) way too long,” said Velasquez, who competed 20 of 37 passes for 223 yards and three scores – two of them to Michael Thompson. “I’ve got the reps. I played quarterback all of last year.”

The Pirates (0-2) fell behind by two scores – 42-28 – early in the fourth quarter when Rodrigues found Ryan Robards for a 37-yard hook-up with 12:42 remaining in the contest. But those would be ARC’s final points of regulation.

“We had depth in the defensive box,” said MJC head coach Rusty Stivers. “We were rotating in six or seven defensive lineman and we had good depth in our linebacking corps.”

The fresh defenders seem to take a toll on the Beavers, who had several players go down with cramps late in the game. And Modesto came up with big defensive players when they were needed most.

Broderick Medrano stripped Rodrigues of the ball as he crossed the line of scrimmage and fell on the ball immediately near midfield. Four plays later Velasquez hooked up with Thompson on a 23-yard strike that put the Pirates ahead 21-20.

Later, with Modesto trailing by a score, Malcome Green picked off a pass that ricocheted off an ARC receiver and returned it 45 yards to the Beavers’ 41. That led to Devan Bass’ 4-yard TD run – earlier in the quarter Bass cashed in from the 5 – to tie the game 42-42 with 3:13 remaining.

The Pirates would get the ball back on their own 4 with 2:01 left to play and just one timeout but couldn’t put points on the board.

In the overtime, Robards put ARC on top when he caught a 9-yard strike from Rodrigues, and MJC countered with a 1-yard run by Velasquez, who also rushed for a 55-yard TD in the first half that gave the Pirates a 28-20 lead.

“I’m really proud of the way our team played,” said Stivers. “With all the craziness of this game, our guys kept their heads and kept playing.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 12:36 AM with the headline "Modesto JC loses shootout to American River in OT."