Los Banos - The Pacheco Panthers (2-9) found their rhythm early and never looked back, defeating the Gustine Reds (2-9) with a final score of 39-12 in a hard-fought CIF bowl game in Los Banos this past Friday night. Despite flashes of big-play offense, a series of costly turnovers hampered the Reds' efforts.
The game started with a spark of excitement as Gustine attempted an onside kick and successfully recovered it. However, the momentum was short-lived. A few plays later, the Reds fumbled on 3rd and 4, turning the ball over to Pacheco. The Panthers capitalized, punching in the first touchdown of the night, followed by a two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
After a Gustine four-and-out, Pacheco marched down the field again to score, stretching their lead to 15-0 with the point after. The Reds' early struggles with ball security continued as the quarter ended with Gustine fumbling, handing the ball back to the Panthers.
Pacheco wasted no time in the second quarter, finding the endzone within the first minute to go up 22-0 after the extra point.
Gustine finally got on the board in spectacular fashion, thanks to a lightning-fast kick return. #2 Daniel Navarro took the ensuing kickoff 82 yards to the house, electrifying the Gustine sideline. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Reds had cut the deficit to 22-6.
The defensive battle tightened late in the half. Gustine’s defense stood strong on Pacheco’s next drive, forcing the Panthers to settle for a field goal with just 6.9 seconds left before halftime. The score at the break was 25-6 Pacheco.
The third quarter saw a defensive slugfest, with Gustine starting the half and ultimately turning the ball over on downs. Neither team managed to put points on the board, and the score remained 25-6 heading into the final frame.
Pacheco reasserted its dominance in the fourth quarter. The Panthers struck first with a 44-yard touchdown pass, making the score 32-6 after the extra point. Disaster then struck for the Reds as Pacheco followed up with a pick-six, putting the Panthers ahead 39-6 with 9:14 remaining in the game.
To their credit, the Reds continued to fight. A strong late-game offensive push was highlighted by a 35-yard pass to #25 Avery Etheridge that got the team into the red zone. Gustine finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by #21 Joao Palomino, bringing the final score to 39-12 with 2:59 left on the clock.
The Pacheco Panthers secured the CIF bowl game victory, capping their season with a win, while the Gustine Reds finish the year with a 2-9 record.
