FREMONT – There were no shortage of things to like about the Ross football team’s season-opener.
Rich McGowan
Any win is a good win, but some are sweeter than others.
And Friday night’s 28-18 win over Springfield will be leaving a lovely aftertaste in the mouths of the Little Giants for a couple of days, and rightfully so. The Blue Devils scored 51 points on Ross just a year ago and went on to an undefeated regular season. A popular pick to repeat at Northern Lakes League champion, they have several players, including quarterback AJ Gucciardo, being courted by Division I college programs.
And the Little Giants pounded the Blue Devils pretty good.
Gucciardo had Ross defenders in his grill all night long. Of his five interceptions, at least three were a direct result of being hammered as he threw the ball.
Special teams were outstanding as well. A blocked extra point forced Springfield to play catch-up all night long. The Little Giants were on top of the ball when Springfield failed to catch it cleanly on a pair of punts.
But for all there is to like about Ross’ play Friday night, there is just as much, if not more, that needs to be fixed.
And that’s the best thing of all.
Springfield is a quality opponent. And the Little Giants beat the Blue Devils despite numerous missed opportunities and self-inflicted wounds. If Ross committed just half the mistakes they made Friday, the game very well could have been a blow-out.
Rare is the night a team can commit 13 penalties for 125 yards and get away with it.
Three times the Little Giants were inside the Springfield 25-yard line and failed to put points on the board.
Ross wasted a timeout due to being lined up incorrectly.
“These kids are going to be Cloud 9 but we are going to have to pop some of those bubbles and bring them back to reality,” coach Chad Long said.
The coaches won’t have to search high and low to find pins with which to burst those bubbles. But then, again, the players know Friday night was far from perfect.
“We came out rough at the start, had some penalties and made some mistakes, it’s going to happen, especially in Week 1,” senior Devyn Jagodzinski said. “Springfield is a very good team, to be able to put up the numbers we did, make the plays we did and win the game, it’s a great feeling. People need to be ready for us.”
One must be careful not to put too much stock in a single game, win or lose. For all the reasons Ross should celebrate Friday night, they’ll have just as many glaring errors when they review the film.
But Friday showed this Ross is a team, unlike its previous incarnations, is one that doesn’t necessarily have to play perfect to win.
The errors made against Springfield did not sink these Little Giants.
Ross rose above despite them.
And that is the most encouraging sign of all.