Aberdeen pounds Ririe into submission behind the stellar running of QB Lupe Ortiz
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RIRIE — In a game that was played like it should have been viewed in black and white, Aberdeen and Ririe combined for as many incompletions in the first half as passing yards — 4.
The two teams were contempt to pound away with the running game, with passing a distant afterthought. And in the end, it was the Tigers (4-0 overall, 2-0 in conference) whose running game came out ahead in a 29-14 victory at Ririe (3-1, 0-0) Friday night.
Aberdeen head coach Derek Jolley said he was proud of the way his team played from the first whistle to the last.
“It was a heck of a performance,” Jolley said. “It was a good game and we showed up — it was a physical game on both ends, lots of big hits, and I was proud of the way we showed up and did it.”
The Bulldogs brought one of the state’s leading rushing attacks into the game, behind the running back tandem of Rafe Newton and Kolter Lewis, each of whom came into the night averaging over 150 yards per game.
Neither came close to that mark, with Newton gaining 82 yards on 14 carries and Lewis chipping in 81 yards on 15 totes, adding both Ririe’s touchdowns.
Jolley said he prepared his team, especially his defense, for “a war” in the trenches. They were ready for exactly that, forcing punts on Ririe first two possessions.
“It was important for us to come out and get a good start, be physical and try to match their physicality — they’re downhill and in your face, here they come, team,” he said.
While their defense was busy slowing the Ririe run game out of the gate, Aberdeen’s offense, led by junior quarterback Lupe Ortiz, came out throwing haymakers.
Following a three-and-out from the Bulldogs to open the game, Aberdeen scored on its fifth play of the night, with Ortiz keeping on the read option and breaking down the left sideline for a 39-yard score.
The Tigers’ next possession lasted just three plays, the third of which was a 50-yard sprint from senior Luke Shackleford.
“We executed well — we did what we were supposed to do,” Ortiz said of his team’s performance.
The quarterback completed just one pass — on three attempts — for a 31-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Long before that, though, Ortiz added his second score of the game breaking a 28-yarder early in the third quarter.
Jolley offered glowing praise when speaking about Ortiz, saying the junior has two older brothers who played at Aberdeen and boasted the same power-speed combination that makes Ortiz special. The coach said it may be something in Ortiz’s genes that make him the combo runner he is.
“He’s a great kid. Runs hard, and he’s got it all — he’s got the power, got the speed,” Jolley said. “He’s a heck of a kid. We expect that from him, and he expects that from himself.”
Ortiz agreed — sort of — saying that the genetics he has to his advantage is tireless work ethic.
“My family, we’re hard workers. I train a lot — I train hard,” Ortiz said.
Ririe is right back to work next week, when they host Firth (2-2, 0-0), who lost Friday night at Declo.
Aberdeen will get a much-needed bye week before hosting North Fremont (4-0, 1-0), who won, 44-12, at Melba Friday.
The bye week, Jolley said, comes at a great time as several Tigers have been playing though some nagging injuries. Ortiz agreed, saying the bye week “is going to be nice.”