Demps leads Eagles’ show

August 26 2011 by Taylah Cosgrove in Education Sport Tips |No Comments

A lesser team might have been unable to handle the buzz of being nationally ranked and having to open its season on national television.

But after spotting Elk Grove-area rival Monterey Trail a first-quarter touchdown Saturday night, top-ranked Pleasant Grove showed why it’s ranked No. 8 nationally by Maxpreps.com and No. 1 in the area by The Bee.

The Eagles scored 35 consecutive points, dominated on both sides of the ball, and rolled to a 35-6 win over the host Mustangs in a packed stadium and with ESPN2 cameras rolling.

Pleasant Grove showed balance in all phases of its game and displayed why the Eagles are strong contenders to repeat as Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champions and possibly represent the area in a CIF bowl game.

Senior quarterback Cody Demps completed 10 of 15 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns both to wide receiver Cole Hikutini and Mark Jenkins rushed for 90 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown, highlighting the Eagles’ stellar offensive attack.

Other than Monterey Trail quarterback Lorenzo Hawkins’ 69-yard touchdown burst in the first quarter that gave the Mustangs a 6-0 lead, the Eagles locked down their opponents’ vaunted veer.

Pleasant Grove senior placekicker-punter Marcus White continually put the Mustangs in poor field position. Five of his six kickoffs went for touchbacks, and he also boomed a 55-yard punt.

“I thought we played well against a really good opponent,” said Pleasant Grove coach Joe Cattolico. “I thought our kids did a fantastic job and made it a good game in certain situations.”

Demps, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound senior, was more of a role player last season at quarterback as Jenkins carried much of the load in rushing for more than 2,700 yards and 41 touchdowns.

But Demps on Saturday night looked comfortable throwing the ball on quick outs and down the field and has two able receivers in Hikutini and Josh Adams. Demps threw one interception.

Jenkins didn’t have the monster game he was renowned for last season. He had only two carries for minus-two yards after the first quarter, but Cattolico said the 5-10, 175-pound senior is a better running back than he was last year.

“This is not any criticism of him in any way, shape or form, but he’s not going to have the season (statistically) he had last year,” Cattolico said. “That was a career in one season. He knows people are going to be keying on him. He understands that.”

The pregame atmosphere was festive. Ticket holders snaked around Mark Macres Memorial Stadium waiting for the gates to open at 5:30 p.m.

Fans in the Monterey Trail green and gold and the Pleasant Grove red and blue waved handmade signs trying to catch some TV face time.

A shirtless “Monterey Trail Phil” led the cheers and got the home side pumped before the kickoff.

Elsewhere

Burbank 40, Christian Brothers 12 Junior fullback Isaiah Williams scored on runs of 10, 13, 30 and 31 yards, and senior captain/quarterback Reymond Norton had touchdown bursts of three and two yards to lead the Titans in an opening-day rout at CBS.

Senior defensive end Maile Fainu led a Burbank defensive effort that kept the Falcons in check.

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