Badgers defense shuts down Memorial in opener

September 6, 2002 The last time Yosemite recorded a shutout.

"We went for the fake extra point because I didn't want to put pressure on our kicker," Yosemite High School head football coach Aaron Eames said. "As it turned out, he came in in the fourth quarter, and, under even more pressure, came through for us."

John DiTomaso had never put on a football uniform before this summer, opting for the soccer field instead, but in Yosemite's season opener against San Joaquin Memorial in Badgers Stadium last Friday, the sophomore kicking specialist looked like a veteran kicking a 32-yard field goal to give the Badgers a thin cushion on its precarious 6-0 lead.

Neither team could gain an advantage.

Yosemite mounted an 18 play drive midway through the first quarter and into the second, moving from its own 22-yard line to the Panthers' 31 before Yosemite quarterback Jesse Lownsbury lofted a pass into the corner of the end zone to wide receiver Cody Shahan, unfortunately Memorial's defensive back Alex Coyle intecepted the ball ending the threat.

Meanwhile, Memorial was having its own problems.

After the interception, the Panthers started at their own 20-yard line and moved the ball to the Yosemite 37-yard line, where on first and 10, Memorial quarterback Dan Whittemore was flushed from the pocket by the Badgers' Erik Sotelo and into the grasp of teammate Jayme Lee who sacked Whittemore and forced a fumble recovered by Lee.

With the momentum and the football at the Yosemite 49-yard line, the Badgers could not move the ball and on second down from the Memorial 41, Lownsbury was intercepted by defensive back Wesley Miller who returned the ball 18 yards to the Yosemite 42.

The Badgers defense stiffened forcing Memorial to punt.

This time Lownsbury engineered a nine-play, 82 yard drive that started with a 12 yard reverse by the Badgers slotback Jackson Glines and then the Yosemite quarterback connected on a 34 yard pass to Shahan, and the Badgers were rolling.

Five plays later Sotelo plunged off right tackle for two yards and the game's only touchdown. The extra point attempt was the fake kick but Lownsbury's pass attempt was intercepted.

"It was a good drive and we mixed up the play calling so they (Memorial) were off balance," Lownsbury said. "My offensive line gave me time to connect on my passes and they opened the holes for the run."

Both teams struggled in the third quarter until late in the period. Memorial had the ball with a first and 10 at its own 36 yard line.

Whittemore was penalized for grounding to avoid a sack by Lee. Two plays later, The ball was snapped over the punter's head and after scrambling around, Yosemite recovered the ball at the nine.

After two incomplete passes and a six yard loss on a reverse by Detri Dunn, the sophomore kicker came onto the field to attempt his first ever field goal.

The 32-yard field goal split the uprights giving Yosemite a 9-0 lead that the Panthers could not overcome.

"The shutout made our defense look alot better than they played," Eames said. "Memorial is young and they were making mistakes and we took advantage of them."