Apaches arrest Crusaders, but turnovers a concern

From a statistical standpoint, Thursday’s scrimmage against Austin St. Michael could be termed a victory for the Gonzales Apaches – but from coach Ricky Lock’s view, “We still have a lot of work to do.”

 

Apache first-stringers scored three times and the second offense scored once for Gonzales during Thursday’s controlled scrimmage, but during a running-clock game simulation period, the Crusaders capitalized on two turnovers to notch a pair of scores of their own.

 

Quarterback Lukas Schiraldi scored on a dive after a short drive following a fumbled snap by Gonzales, and St. Michaels also picked up a score on the final play of the scrimmage when the Apaches fumbled on a quarterback sack.

 

Lock said the turnovers concerned him, but said time and experience will take care of a lot of it.

 

“Our quarterbacks did a good job ‘til right there at the bitter end,” he said. “Three weeks (of practice) into this, we’re better than we were when we started. They (St. Michaels) have had a lot more practice.”

 

Wide receiver Kedrick Cray scored on three TD passes from quarterback Evan Owens, including beating a triple team to clock in a 69-yarder. The Apache ground game also showed the ability to move the ball, led by Mark Hastings, Landon Lock, Hunter Noack and Zach Moreno. Moreno got the second team’s score by gathering in a well-placed Jon Anthony Casares pass and taking it down the sideline to the end zone.

 

“We’ve got some weapons,” Lock observed. “We’re just trying to get them the ball.”

 

Lock said he was pleased by the progress showed by his offensive and defensive lines. The defensive line had its hands full with St. Michael running back Luke Seeker, an all-stater who rushed for more than 1,200 yards last year.

 

“We’ve been working the dog out of them,” Lock said. “Right now, we have three freshmen in there, and we saw some freshman mistakes of course. Those kids are working hard.”

 

Lock said success won’t happen overnight, however.

 

“We just have to be patient and get from where we were to where we want to go,” he said. “After a 1-9, everything is up. I inherited a mess.”