Patterson improves to 3-0, holds off Modesto

The Patterson High Tigers race to the line of scrimmage and run a triple-option attack at about 120 mph, all courtesy of coach Rob Cozart.

He borrowed the scheme from College of San Mateo and the tempo from Modesto Junior College, two of his former coaching addresses, and the result is a point-producing and crowd-pleasing offense.

“Something rubbed off,” said Cozart, who returned this season for a second stint at Patterson. “It’s a copy-cat league.”

The 3-0 Tigers needed all of that offense, however, to hold off Modesto 33-28 Friday night at Gregori High’s Don Lanphear Stadium. Modesto (2-1), trailing 20-7 at one point, inched in front on a tackle-breaking 58-yard rip by quarterback Max McCabe with 9:38 left.

The Panthers’ lead lasted barely a minute. Two plays after a 21-yard strike from junior quarterback Kevin Todd to Pierre Williams (5 catches, 94 yards), wingback Alec Espos raced 9 yards around end for the eventual winning score.

Patterson preserved the lead via an interception by Kendrick Bond and a midfield stop in the final seconds, but it was hardly easy. Even on the 4th-and-24 last gasp, McCabe’s pass to Kendall McNair – who had beaten the coverage – slipped off his hands.

“Modesto is a playoff-caliber team. We’ve played three playoff teams,” Cozart said. “We were resilient, but we shouldn’t have to be.”

Cozart referred to Patterson’s touchdowns on three straight possessions to build its early lead. The Tigers stretch defenses out of shape with straight-ahead runner Jamal Broussard (19 carries, 82 yards), the game-breaking Michael Lawson and passes to Williams.

Lawson, who scored the Tigers’ first touchdown, was flipped during a punt return late in the half and was slowed the rest of the night. Modesto chipped away from that point.

“In the first half we were sleepwalking. They responded to our lectures at halftime,” Modesto coach Donnie Wallace said. “We have to be proud.”

McCabe, who’s not afraid to pound his 165-pound frame into the line, found Reggie Wilbon for a touchdown catch-and-run and hit McNair (12 catches, 130 yards) for two TDs. The Patterson speed was matched by McNair, who clearly has found a batterymate in McCabe.

“We started to hook up. We could trust each other,” said McCabe, who passed for 232 yards despite three interceptionswas so proud of our defense for stopping them and giving us a chance.”

Wallace, the MHS athletic director who’s filling in as head coach after the late resignation of Rich Alkire, likes the progress of McCabe.

“He’s not Tiki (Tonga) or Nate (Phillips), but he gets the job done. He’s sneaky,” Wallace said. “We came back and took the lead against a very good team. That bodes well for us.”

The game nearly didn’t get off the ground. Modesto High administrators contacted Patterson at mid-day and briefly considered postponing the game due to the smoky air. Nevertheless, the teams delivered a solid early-season game.

Espos, another 165-pound senior, showed why he’s one of the four Patterson team captains. He intercepted a pass to snuff one drive, outjumped a Modesto defender to complete a 59-yard TD pass late in the half and – with the game up for grabs – beat the Panthers to the pylon.

“Their safeties and linebackers were coming up,” Espos said. “Our coaches called the pitch.”

And that’s why Patterson is unbeaten.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 2:13 AM with the headline "Patterson improves to 3-0, holds off Modesto."