KING CITY — After a few weeks of offensive struggles, the King City Mustangs regrouped to down the host Pacific Grove Breakers, 49-27, on Friday at Breaker Stadium. The Mustang offense produced 302 rushing yards and 280 passing yards for the game and played solid defense in the decisive fourth quarter.
“Changing or scheme and getting the ball to our playmakers made a big difference in our play,” said King City head coach Mac Villanueva. “We simplified the offense and ran the plays that work for us. It was good to get the points on the board and to have a good defensive performance when we needed it. The defense did a good job against the run and on offense we had Jonah Mendez making good throws, Dylan Oliveros running for scores, and Aaron Leonard rushing for over 100 yards. We will be using this offense setup for the rest of the season because it gets the ball to our playmakers.”
In the first quarter, Dylan Oliveros connected with receiver Isaias Gonzalez for a 70-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game for King City. The play featured a little razzle dazzle as the ball was pitched to Luis Briseno to Oliveros who then fired the ball to Gonzalez. A two-point conversion run by Alex Valdez gave the visiting Mustangs an 8-0 lead. On the next score for King City, Briseno caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Oliveros, who had switched to quarterback when the Mustangs reached the red zone. A point after attempt by Irvin Vergera built the lead to 15-0.
In the second quarter, Jonah Mendez returned to quarterback and led a drive that ended with a 10-yard rushing touchdown by the sophomore quarterback. Another PAT by Vergera had the Mustangs up 22-0. Pacific Grove got on the scoreboard just before the end of the first half with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Freddy Albert to receiver Blake Moore. A PAT by Sergi Mendoza cut the KC advantage to 22-7.
Pacific Grove stopped the Mustangs to start the third quarter and scored on a 68-yard pass play from Albert to Minik to make the score 22-14 after the successful PAT by Mendoza. The Breakers cut the lead to 22-20 on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Albert to Minik after a bad punt on a turnover on downs. Pacific Grove attempted a two-point conversion but failed on the attempt.
With two unanswered scores the Mustangs fought back with a 27-yard pass play from Mendez to Oliveros that gave King City a 29-22 lead after a PAT by Vergera. Minutes after the touchdown an interception of Juan Acosta got the ball back to King City in good field position. The Mustangs then capitalized quickly with a 10-yard strike from Mendez to Oliveros that gave King City a 35-20 lead.
The host Breakers would not go down early, even when facing a double-digit lead as Minik and Albert teamed up one last time in the third quarter on a 70-yard touchdown that cut the Mustangs lead to 35-27. The fourth quarter was all King City as Aaron Leonard scored from 14 yards out to put the Mustangs up 42-27, and Alex Villasenor padded the lead to 49-27 with a one-yard touchdown run. Vergera completed the scoring by adding two more PATs.
Leonard led King City in rushing, finishing with 142 yards on 17 carries and scoring a touchdown, and Oliveros ran for 81 yards on six carries and scored a touchdown. Mendez added 32 yards on three carries with one rushing touchdown, and Villasenor contributed with 30 yards on eight carries.
Mendez had his best game of the season at quarterback with a 20 for 25 passing performance for 204 yards with one interception. Oliveros made the most of his time as a signal caller going two for two in passing for 85 yards and one passing touchdown. Gonzalez led King City in receiving with eight receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown and Briseno matched him with eight receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown. Oliveros completed a busy night with four receptions for 32 yards and one touchdown and Cesar Chaves had two receptions for 19 yards.
King City will play North Monterey County this Friday on Senior Night.
In last Friday’s JV game, the Broncos defeated the Breakers, 48-0.
