Prep football notes: Orman sloshes his way into Galt record book
Neither mud nor muck prevented Zach Orman from high-stepping into Galt High School’s football record book.
In conditions better suited for a monster truck rally, the senior running back sloshed his way to 182 yards on 34 carries and scored the winning touchdown in overtime to lift the host Warriors past Rosemont 13-7 on Friday.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Orman broke the career rushing mark set by perhaps the program’s greatest player, Mark Hatzenbuhler, as Galt earned its first Sierra Valley Conference victory since 2010, ending a 29-game league losing streak.
The Warriors (4-3, 1-1) also remained in contention for their winning season since going 6-4 in 2005 and their first playoff appearance since 2004. Those teams were coached by Galt legend Erv Hatzenbuhler, Mark’s father.
As a fullback in the archaic single-wing offense, Mark Hatzenbuhler rushed for 4,247 yards from 1987 to ’89. Orman has run for 4,334 yards over three varsity seasons, but victories were difficult to come by.
This season, Galt has eclipsed the three-win totals from 2014 and 2015. The Warriors are coached by Jermaine Allen, who played running back for Galt in 1997 when the Warriors won the SVC championship. He called Orman “a special player.”
Bloodlines – Oak Ridge has long featured standout quarterbacks, including 2015 Sacramento Bee All-Metro pick Ian Book, who is at Notre Dame on scholarship.
This season, the No. 7 Trojans are quarterbacked by dual-threat junior Marco Baldacchino and eyeing a Sierra Foothill League championship. Baldacchino passed for 81 yards and ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns to lead Oak Ridge over Granite Bay 28-0 in a wet and windy affair in El Dorado Hills on Friday.
Baldacchino is a cousin of Dano Graves, The Bee’s Player of the Year in 2010 from Folsom who is starting at quarterback for Cal Poly.
Baldacchino said he is fortunate to have “some ability with my feet, a God-given talent.”
The same can be said of Michael Pittman, who leads Oak Ridge in rushing with 668 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Trojans (6-1, 3-0) visit No. 3 Del Oro on Friday, host Nevada Union on Oct. 28 and visit No. 2 Folsom on Nov. 4. If the Trojans win out, they win the SFL.
Unbeaten Pride – No. 6 Antelope and Bradshaw Christian are the only unbeaten teams in The Bee’s 75-school coverage area and among five unbeaten teams in the 195-school Sac-Joaquin Section, joining Delhi, Pitman and Sonora.
Bradshaw Christian (8-0) beat host Rio Vista 20-6 on Friday to assume command of the Sierra Delta League race at 3-0. It was the Pride’s closest game this season. Mateo Bromstead rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and Gerrett Robbins ran for 101 yards and a score.
Powered by its running game under coach Drew Rickert, Bradshaw Christian has won five section championships, four in Division VI, since 2008. This season, the Pride has rushed for 3,276 yards, an average of 409.5 a game, and 41 touchdowns.
Robbins has rushed for 1,086 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Bromstead has gone for 812 and 15. They’re juniors.
Titans rising – Burbank returned to The Bee rankings at No. 20, having won four consecutive games after opening with losses to three teams – Clovis of the Central Section, Bee No. 5 Grant and Oak Ridge – that are a combined 18-3.
The Titans are led by senior defensive end DJ Johnson, headed to Miami on scholarship, and sophomore running back Taniela Fisilau, who ran for a school-record six touchdowns in a 54-6 win over McClatchy on Thursday.
Burbank hosts top-ranked Sacramento on Oct. 29 and Kennedy on Nov. 4, games that will decide the Metropolitan Conference championship.
Joe Davidson: 916-321-1280, @SacBee_JoeD
The Bee’s Top 20
With last week’s ranking
1. Sacramento (1) 6-1
2. Folsom (2) 7-1
3. Del Oro (3) 7-1
4. Elk Grove (4) 6-1
5. Grant (5) 6-1
6. Antelope (6) 7-0
7. Oak Ridge (7) 6-1
8. Whitney (10) 6-1
9. Sheldon (14) 5-2
10. Jesuit (8) 4-3
11. Rocklin (9) 4-3
12. Monterey Trail (11) 5-2
13. Roseville (13) 6-1
14. Davis (20) 3-4
15. Franklin (12) 4-3
16. Vista del Lago (15) 5-2
17. Inderkum (16) 5-2
18. Christian Brothers (18) 5-2
19. Capital Christian (19) 5-2
20. Burbank (–) 4-3
Dropped out: Liberty Ranch
On the bubble: Bear River (3-4), Bradshaw Christian (8-0), Cordova (5-2), Cosumnes Oaks (4-3), El Camino (5-2), El Dorado (6-1), Kennedy (5-2), Liberty Ranch (5-2), Marysville (6-2), Placer (3-4)
Joe Davidson
This week’s schedule:
Thursday’s game
No. 18 Christian Brothers at El Camino
Friday’s games
No. 7 Oak Ridge at No. 3 Del Oro
No. 12 Monterey Trail at No. 4 Elk Grove
No. 5 Grant at No. 9 Sheldon
Del Campo at No. 6 Antelope
No. 8 Whitney at No. 13 Roseville
No. 10 Jesuit vs. No. 15 Franklin at Cosumnes Oaks
No. 11 Rocklin at Woodcreek
Pleasant Grove at No. 14 Davis
Rio Americano vs. No. 16 Vista del Lago at Del Campo
River Valley at No. 17 Inderkum
Dixon at No. 19 Capital Christian
No. 20 Burbank vs. Florin at Monterey Trail
Other games
Bear River at Colfax
Cosumnes Oaks at Bella Vista
El Dorado at Cordova
Foothill at Placer
Foresthill at Delta
Golden Sierra at Bradshaw Christian
Kennedy vs. Laguna Creek at Cosumnes River College
Liberty Ranch at Rosemont
Lincoln at Center
Marysville vs. Mesa Verde at San Juan
Mira Loma at Casa Roble
Nevada Union at Granite Bay
Ponderosa at Oakmont
Rio Vista vs. Encina at El Camino
San Juan at Highlands
Union Mine at Galt
Valley vs. McClatchy at Hughes Stadium
Valley Christian at Western Sierra
West Campus at Natomas
Woodland at Rio Linda
Yuba City at Pioneer
Saturday’s games
Johnson at No. 1 Sacramento, 1 p.m.
Lindhurst at Irvington-Fremont, 1 p.m.
Bye: Folsom
This story was originally published October 17, 2016 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Prep football notes: Orman sloshes his way into Galt record book."