South Fork Football Dominates Laytonville 56-38

Senior Gabe Malley dives into the endzone for a TD last Friday night in Miranda. [Photo by Janice Coffelt]

South Fork High School’s 8-man varsity football team got its second win of the season over Laytonville last Friday night for Homecoming, 56-38. The high scoring contest saw the Cubs score three times in the closing minutes of the first half to take a lead Laytonville had no answer for.

The visitors surprised the large Homecoming crowd by getting on the board first in the first quarter. “I told the guys they were going be improved over last time,” said Cub head coach Andy Olsen. “Their quarterback is a very good athlete and they are well coached.”

The Cubs answered with a TD of their own in the quarter and added a two-point conversion to make it 8-6 South Fork at the end of the first quarter.

With just 3 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter, Laytonville was up 18-16 when the Cubs went on a scoring frenzy to make the halftime score 36-18. Junior quarterback CJ Van Meter got it rolling with a 55 yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Gabe Malley.

Junior CJ Van Meter prepares to receive the snap from center Jon Jon Gotcher last Friday night in Miranda. [Photo by Janice Coffelt]

After forcing a punt on Laytonville’s next possession, the Cubs found themselves backed up all the way to their own 6 yard line after a penalty. South Fork ran a double pass play, with Van Meter passing to senior running back Scott Coffelt who tossed the ball another 55 yards in the air to senior wide receiver Ryder Pfau who beat his defender, streaking the final 15 yards into the endzone.

Laytonville helped South Fork get its final TD of the period by stopping the clock on an incomplete pass before being forced to punt again. Malley ran back the punt to the  Laytonville 15, and it took the Cubs just two plays to get into the endzone again.

“Despite the big lead we never felt comfortable,” said Olsen, and the second half was even, with each side adding 18 total points to its first half score. “We pretty much traded blows in the second half, and they just kept coming back.”

Van Meter turned in his best performance of the season, going 13 for 18 for 204 yards and 2 TDs. Pfau and junior Cody Wyatt each caught 5 passes, Pfau for 115 yards and 2 TDs. “Our offensive line gave CJ a lot of time and he has excellent mobility to give himself even more time,” said Olsen.

Sophomore Elijah Roberts had a 29 yard TD catch for his first high school score.

Senior Aaron Etherton had another outstanding performance on defense, getting a team-high 18 tackles and 2 sacks. Sophomore Austin Worrell was moved to the defensive line where he had 12 tackles.

The Cubs will host winless Round Valley on Friday at home in Miranda with a 7 p.m. kick-off. The team is now 2-1 on the 2017 season.

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