Costly mistakes are becoming a trend for Benicia High’s varsity football team, and the Panthers were their own worst enemy again Friday night in a 15-13 loss to the Maria Carrillo Pumas at Drolette Stadium.
The Panthers gave up an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, threw three interceptions in the first half and turned the ball over on downs at the Carrillo 5-yard line – all adding up to Benicia’s third defeat to start the season.
It was Maria Carrillo’s first victory over Benicia in four tries this decade and left the Panthers scratching their heads wondering why that first victory of the year has proven so elusive.
“We don’t capitalize on things when we should,” said Benicia head coach Craig Holden. “We shoot ourselves in the foot. You can’t make the mistakes that we make and expect to win.”
“It’s very frustrating,” said senior receiver Weston Carr, who hauled in his third touchdown reception of the season on Benicia’s opening series. “We’re not executing and showing enough intensity. We’re letting teams come at us and we need to come at them.”
Benicia (0-3) trailed 15-7 late in the fourth quarter before making things interesting. A 1-yard TD plunge by Tristan Batten capped an 11-play drive that cut Carrillo’s lead to 15-13, but the two-point conversion pass failed. The Panthers got the ball back at their own 25 with 1:46 remaining, but a sack by safety Josh Groesbeck and three straight incompletions ended Benicia’s comeback bid.
“It’s getting real frustrating,” said Benicia linebacker Jason Toumbs. “We need to step it up and make plays in tough situations. We’re struggling right now.”
Benicia got off to a strong start. Junior quarterback Riley Pitkin threw a perfect pass down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown to Carr less than three minutes into the game. Benicia’s celebration didn’t last long as Groesbeck returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a score.
“The difference in this game was a kickoff return for a touchdown,” Holden said. “We give a team free points and they’re going to take advantage of it.”
Carrillo’s Jordan Rosado intercepted a pass on Benicia’s next possession, and the Panthers lost a yard on a fake punt to turn the ball over again on their next series. Carrillo cornerback Fhestus Chomba intercepted passes on Benicia’s next two possessions, and a 20-yard TD pass from Walker Rotherham to Rosado gave the Pumas (2-1) a 12-7 lead late in the second quarter.
Benicia appeared ready to regain the lead after Berwyn Hutcherson returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the Carrillo 17-yard line. A 4-yard run by Pitkin on fourth-and-3 set up a first-and-goal at the 6, but the Panthers gained only one yard on the next four plays and still trailed by five at the break.
Connor Eastwick kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend Carrillo’s lead to 15-7 with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter.
Benicia’s running game was virtually non-existent, rushing for only 17 yards on 29 carries.
“They controlled the line of scrimmage and we couldn’t run the ball,” Holden said.
Benicia’s defense played well but couldn’t compensate for an offense that sputtered most of the night.
“We were trying to hold our own and maybe swing the game back our way,” Toumbs said. “It’s painful losing and we need to keep fighting and keep working hard.”
Benicia plays at Armijo (2-1) this coming Friday.