It wasn’t hard to figure out that the (#2 seed and Valley Oak league co-champion) Sierra-Manteca game plan was going to be to shut down RL standout running back Marcel Brown. The question was where the Knight’s points were going to come from.
The answer was quarterback Zak Burden.
While the Sierra Timberwolves limited “Marvel” Brown to 186 rushing yards, 89 receiving and two scores, Burden brought his lunchpail and went to work going 17-for-24 for 261 yards and four touchdowns. He ran for 121 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and caught a 23 yard score on a halfback pass.
Oh yeah… he had two interceptions on defense. Not bad for a night’s work.
It was a back and forth game all night, with Sierra going into halftime with a three point lead. Both teams continued to trade scores in the until the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Knights made a stop and got the ball on their own 20 yard line with 10:17 left. They methodically marched downfield, going 80 yards in nine plays with Burden tossing the ball to Fabian Salomon in the end zone with 6:57 left. On the following onside kickoff, Sierra fumbled and the Knights got the ball back on the 50. That drive ended with an end zone interception. The T’wolves quickly went 80 yards where Sierra’s outstanding running back Mark Paule rumbled into the end zone to take the lead 44-42 with 2:24 left.
With a purpose, Rio Linda forced their way down the field, going 65 yards on nine plays. Burden found a wide open Jeremiah Hampton in the end zone for a five yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds to play.
Burden wasn’t done. For an encore, he knocked the ball away from a Sierra receiver on a last gasp play to seal the deal.
In sum, Zak Burden had a hand in 6 touchdowns on the night.
Final score: Rio Linda 49 – Sierra 44
Rio Linda will play their third playoff game on the road again next Friday in the Division 3 semi-finals, facing the other half of the Valley Oak league championship tandem and the #3 playoff seed Oakdale Mustangs in Oakdale.
Notes:
- Coming into the playoffs as a #10 seed, the Knights have bumped off the #7 seed (Placer) and the #2 seed (Sierra)
- The Knight defense held Sierra running back Mark Paule to just eight yards in the first half and 73 yards total. He has over 2,000 yards on the season.
- Rumor has it that Marcel Brown could be reunited with Rio Linda fullback Leo Skattebo at Weber State next year. Skattebo has been playing this year at Sac City College.
- The senior players now hold the school record for varsity games played by one class. Marcel Brown now holds the record for football games played by one student.
- This season, the Knights have defeated 3 league champs – Cosumnes Oaks of the CVC, Placer of the PVL, and Sierra of the VOL.
