Cardinals face big road test next Saturday in Middletown against 4-2 Colts
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NAPA >> Despite giving up a quick six points, the Westshore Cardinals rolled to a 42-6 win over Napa to remain undefeated atop the varsity standings of the Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League on Saturday night in Napa.
A big game from quarterback Pop Horne, who went 7-for-9 passing for 202 yards and three touchdowns, helped Westshore improve to 6-0. John Pasalo led the Cardinals on the ground with 143 yards on only eight carries, two of them going for touchdowns.
Napa received the opening kickoff and quickly drove down the field for a touchdown although Dylan Egan was able to block the conversion kick. That 6-0 lead lasted only until Pasalo broke loose for a 75-yard run two plays later, Isiah McCloud’s conversion kick putting Westshore ahead to stay at 8-6.
Landyn Collins scored on a 3-yard run a short time later. Coupled with another McCloud conversion kick, the Cardinals went up 16-6.
Horne’s first touchdown pass, a 45-yard connection with Nathen Heath, pushed the Westshore lead to 22-6. Horne hooked up with Jayvon Evans on a 40-yard pass to set up a Pasalo 39-yard touchdown run for a 28-6 lead.
In the second half, Horne’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Evans made it 34-6. Luke Percaccio’s interception set up Westshore’s next score, a 49-yard pass from Horne to Heath. McCloud added the conversion kick.
The mercy rule came into play at that point with Westshore up 42-6.
Defensive leaders for the Cardinals were Jake Hayes with eight tackles, Egan with seven tackles, Pasalo with six tackles and Isaac Patino with five tackles. Joseph Szupello added four tackles, including a quarterback sack.
“Napa drove down and smacked us in the mouth right out of the gate,” Westshore head coach Sid Percaccio said. “That woke the kids up and they got right back into the game and never let off the gas.”
The loss dropped Napa to 3-3 on the season.
Westshore faces a big road test next Saturday at Middletown against the 4-2 Colts.
“It’s always been a big game with this group of kids,” Percaccio said of the Westshore-Middletown rivalry. “They are a tough team, but we will be ready.”
The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
