Cameron Schott
NorCalPreps.com Analyst


After a slow start and early 14-0 deficit, Vacaville came from behind to beat Valley Christian 41-27. The Bulldogs were led by the rushing tandem of Melvin Mason and Curtis Goins, who combined for 322 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Valley Christian controlled the tempo early, starting with a 92-yard kickoff return by Ryan Severson and then recovered a short kick on the ensuring kickoff. The Warriors took advantage of the 25-yard field capped with a touchdown from sophomore quarterback Jay MacIntyre to senior Jarrod Lawson. Valley Christian held a 14-0 lead with less than four minutes being played.

Vacaville started to get in a rhythm offensively after Mason ran for a 82-yard touchdown. A missed extra point cut the deficit to eight.

Valley Christian followed with a three-play, 70 yard touchdown drive to make it 20-6, but Vacaville responded. After getting nice field position, Mason ran a 45-yard score on the first play of the drive to cut the Valley lead to 20-14 following a two-point conversion. The score remained after the conclusion of the first quarter.

Goins had a 69-yard run with 3:08 left before the half, and another missed extra point tied the score at 20 headed into halftime.

Vacaville came out in the second half pounding the football. They had a 73-yard drive that exhausted the Valley defense, which was the turning point in the ball game. Mason once again finished with a nine yard touchdown run, giving Vacaville a 27-20 lead. Mason followed with another score, which all but sealed the game. Valley Christian made an attempt to comeback with a 20-yard touchdown run from MacIntyre, cutting the lead to seven, but were unable to stop Vacaville's rushing attack as they stormed down the field for another touchdown by Mason making it 41-27. The Bulldogs recovered a short kick on the kickoff and knelt three times to put the game away.

The key to victory was the run game, as Vacaville's 324 rush yards overpowered Valley Christian's 162 yards on the ground. Both teams had multiple rushers who were successful running the ball, and the absence of Byron Marshall didn't help Valley Christian either.

The Warriors will have a bye next week while Vacaville will host Deer Valley next Friday.

Friday's top performers are listed below:

Ryan Severson 5-foot-10, 185 pounds RB/LB (2013) Valley Christian:
Severson had 54 yards on 9 carries (6 YPC) and a 65 yard touchdown catch. He is an underrated athlete who also ran back the opening kickoff.

Jarrod Lawson 5-foot-8, 185 pounds RB/LB (2012) Valley Christian:
Lawson was a two-way standout at running back and linebacker.
Offensively, he ran for 39 yards on 13 carries (3 YPC) while also making a four yard touchdown catch. Defensively, he was the captain of the squad who had the speed to catch and take down the opposing ball carrier.

Timothy Ryan 6-foot-1, 210 pounds OL/DT (2014) Valley Christian: Ryan demonstrated nice pass-rushing abilities during the few times Vacaville dropped back to throw. He forced a fumble when getting to the quarterback and was able to shed his blocker and get into the backfield. Ryan is still raw as a run-stuffer, but flashed potential for the future.

Melvin Mason RB/DB 5-foot-11, 190 pounds (2012) Vacaville: Mason was the star of this game, carrying the ball 16 times for 203 yards (12.7
YPC) and five touchdowns. He possesses break-away speed, which was trouble for the defense whenever he reached the secondary. Mason was also able to run over defenders, which made him an effective runner due to his combination of size and speed.

Curtis Goins RB/CB 5-foot-9, 185 pounds (2013) Vacaville: Goins'
performance was overshadowed, but definitely worth noting. He had 11 carries for 119 yards (10.8 YPC) and a touchdown while also shutting down opposing receivers. Vacaville had two major threats in the backfield who possessed similar traits and nearly no drop off.

T.J. Fischer 6-foot-1 167 pounds WR/DB (2012) Vacaville: Fischer was the main target when the Bulldogs threw the ball. He had five catches for 94 yards and showed nice hands and size. Fischer doesn't have top-notch speed, but has moves to spin past a corner and gain yards after the catch.