Union Mine defeats Rosemont in Sierra Valley Conference game with playoff implications

Jayden Tinker was unstoppable Friday night.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior rushed for 283 yards and four touchdowns with an interception on defense, leading Union Mine High School of El Dorado to a 28-14 victory over Rosemont of Sacramento in a Sierra Valley Conference contest with playoff implications.

Each of his scores came on an explosive run. His first was for 59 yards, then for 54, 43 and finally for 39. Tinker, as modest as he is talented, didn’t take credit for his standout performance.

“This win belongs to Coach Brandon Pacheco,” Tinker said. “Coach and my teammates got me to this victory. I couldn’t have done it without the blocking up front and the plays that were called. Those two things set me up for success.”

Tinker emphasized the connection he has with his teammates in putting up a show like this. It’s an example of what a small-town team can do.

“We’re just a really tight group,” Tinker said. “We have team meals every Thursday and just have been able to build a bond. That bond has really helped us to trust each other to play through times.”

Rosemont didn’t give up, coming within a score of the Diamondbacks in the final few minutes. But Tinker dashed those hopes with is final TD.

Pacheco was in awe.

“He’s such an awesome player,” he said. “He’s been a really good player all season, but the way that the game went today, he got a lot of opportunities. It’s a massive credit to him to turn those opportunities into a breakout performance like he had.”

Tinker has rushed for more than 800 yards on the season with Friday his career best in rushing and scoring.

Pacheco is an anomaly himself. He’s in his first year with the program and is only 24 years old. He comes from Pitman High School in Turlock, where he served as defensive coordinator. A Pitman alum himself, he played under head coach Tom Tyler.

“It is kind of crazy,” Pacheco said about his age with a laugh. “You just have to fake it till you make it. In all seriousness, I’ve had a ton of help with this staff, the athletic director and the principal. I teach PE with Kirk Anderson, the previous head coach. They’ve been super helpful in mentoring me and helping me put this program together.”

Pacheco has three former head coaches on the staff in Gregory Horsfall, Taylor Duncan and Anderson. He also is assisted by Dean Duncan, who has been an assistant coach in the area since 1984.

“He’s been such an awesome asset to this school,” Duncan said. “He’s come here with a ton of excitement and really wants to build this program. We’ve had a lot of turnover in the coaching department over the past few years and he’s brought stability to us.”

Pacheco said he is in this for the long haul and has made that sentiment known around the program.

“I’m pretty young, who knows how long I’ll be here,” Pacheco said. “It’s a great place with great kids. I think this place has everything you would want as a head coach to be successful year after year with good people. So, definitely, Union Mine is in my long-term plans.”

Pacheco’s entire family makes the two-hour trip from Turlock every week to watch his team compete.

Despite the loss, Rosemont coach John Straw was proud of his team’s performance.

“These kids never quit,” Straw said. “I didn’t yell at the postgame or get angry. I just told them they have to focus on next week. We win that game out there 50 times out of 100. I think that we are a really good program, and we just need to get healthy and move on to next week.”

The Wolverines’ scores came from passes by sophomore quarterback Frankie Cervantes. One was a 10-yard throw to senior power rusher Michael Cherry and the second was a 28-yard play to senior receiver Kenny Hughes.

Straw praised Pacheco for becoming a head coach at a young age.

“I coach for the players,” Straw said. “It’s not easy being a high school football head coach. You either do it for the love of the game or for the players. All I want to do is leave a positive impact on these kids for the rest of their lives and help them any way I can. I love to see a young guy like that come out here and invest time into these kids and help them grow as men.”

Union Mine improved to 6-2 and will play Liberty Ranch next. Rosemont, at 4-4, will take on El Dorado.

This story was originally published October 14, 2023 at 12:24 AM.