Rogers-led Nordhoff beats winless Santa Clara to stay tied for 2nd place in Citrus League

Led once again by running back Brayden Rogers, Nordhoff High emerged from its bye week without any signs of rust and managed to keep pace with Malibu for second place in the Citrus Coast League with a 28-7 road win over Santa Clara on Friday night.

“We came in healthy,” Nordhoff head coach Lance Wiggins said. “We tightened up a few things and we had a good game.”

Rogers pretty much did it all for Nordhoff (5-2, 2-1). He carried the ball 25 carries for 203 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught a 47-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

PREP FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD:High school football scores from Week 7

“You get in the fourth quarter and you think that a guy that has touched the ball 25 times is tired; he’s not tired,” Wiggins said. “It’s almost like his tank starts filling up in the opposite direction.”

Nordhoff asserted itself in the first quarter. The Rangers drove 67 yards on 12 plays on their first drive, with a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-one by Leeram Stoneman keeping the drive alive. Rogers finished off the drive with a 1-yard TD run.

Nordhoff stopped Santa Clara on its ensuing drive, then drove down the field again as the quarter ran out and Stoneman found Jake Palmer for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:25 left in the first half.

Nordhoff had a chance for a third touchdown at the end of the quarter when Chandler Pullen intercepted Robert Rush at the 40-yard line and returned it to the Santa Clara 24-yard line. The Rangers drove to the 1-yard line, but Santa Clara forced a fumble at the goal line as the first quarter came to an end.

Santa Clara (0-7, 0-3) was given another scoring opportunity in the second quarter as Rush returned the favor on his interception by picking off Stoneman. The Saints drove down the field, aided by an 18-yard run by Eddie Vicuna on a reverse, and reached the Rangers 20-yard line, but Nordhoff was able to make a stop on fourth down.

Nordhoff immediately took advantage, with Rogers catching a 47-yard TD pass from Stoneman to give Nordhoff a three-touchdown lead going into halftime.

Santa Clara finally found the end zone in the third quarter. Rush scrambled behind the line of scrimmage before getting off a long pass to Nock Abbott, who raced in for a 55-yard touchdown.

Nordhoff responded with a long drive, capped off by another short run TD by Rogers with 4:01 left in the quarter.

Santa Clara refused to quit, driving into the red zone on its next drive, but Nordhoff came up with a final stop on fourth down.