Capital Christian advances past Antelope in another penalty marred playoff game

Capital Christian and Antelope met Friday night for the third time in two seasons with a berth in the semifinals of the Division III section playoffs on the line.

The top-seeded Cougars kept their stronghold on the rivalry with a 27-17 win over the ninth-seeded Titans in Rosemont.

Captains and coaches from the programs met for pizza before their playoff meeting just over a year ago to temper emotions from the earlier meeting that included penalties and ejections. The pizza party didn’t help as tempers flared and flags flew in last season’s playoff contest. This game was also marred by penalties with multiple personal fouls, though there were no ejections.

The Cougars (9-2) were led by their two senior captains, quarterback Austin Amador and receiver Max Rodarte. Amador was efficient, completing 6 of 9 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown while rushing four times for 24 yards and a score. Amador was complimentary of the Titans following the victory.

“Antelope is probably one of the best teams we played after the preseason,” Amador said. “They’re a hard team and they have a lot of heart.”

Rodarte channeled his inner Michael Jordan with a “Flu Game” of his own as he had four receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown while playing with a 102-degree temperature.

“He’s a great player,” Capital Christian coach Casey Taylor said of Rodarte. “One of our captains, one of our most valuable players, and he’s had a great career here. I know he was sick today and wasn’t feeling good, but I was not surprised that he took care of his body, got some fluids in him and played outstanding like he always does.”

Amador said nonleague losses to powerhouse programs Vista Murrieta of Southern California and Chandler of Arizona made his team better. Capital Christian hasn’t lost since, peeling off seven consecutive wins. The Cougars host fifth-seeded Manteca next in their quest to repeat as section champions.

“After those two losses, we just came back and said that we weren’t going to lose another game,” Amador said. “Our goal is always to win. Week by week, we’re just get stronger and stronger.”

Amador and Rodarte were not the only ones who produced. The Capital Christian running back duo of junior Isaiah Bass and sophomore Zeke Burnett controlled the clock with an effective rushing attack. Both players rushed 13 times each — Burnett for 88 yards and a score and Bass for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Taylor said his team needs to clean up the penalties if it wants to keep winning.

“We gotta practice a little better,” Taylor said. “We had some technique issues on that and we’re a physical team. Sometimes when you’re physical, you get some penalties. So I’m fine with some of them, but we obviously got to clean those up. They’re going to hurt us as time goes on.

“We play a good Manteca team next week that I’ve heard great things about. (They are) loaded and really explosive, so we’re going to have to have a great week of practice and to have a good opportunity to win next week.”

Quincy Gallon passed for a touchdown and ran for one for Antelope.

This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 6:31 AM.