Greyhounds beat Templeton 10-7 on last second field goal
– With conference play on the horizon, the Atascadero High School Greyhounds looked to gain some momentum as the preseason came to a close. However, they were in for a true test against a Templeton Eagles team that has scored 35 points per game while surrendering only seven points per game throughout the season.
The Greyhounds would need a stellar performance from their defense and a little help from a new player in order to secure victory.
Atascadero scored their lone touchdown on the first drive, leaning on their ground game to lead their offense. Senior Austin Smith scored on a two-yard run, giving the Greyhounds an early 7-0 lead.
From then on, it was on the Greyhound defense to put a stop to a high-powered offense that put up 52 points on their last opponent. The Eagle offense lived up to their name early, scoring with relative ease on their first drive and tying the game 7-7, but Atascadero rose to the challenge, stuffing Templeton for the rest of the contest.
Despite showing multiple different looks and formations to catch the Greyhounds off guard, the Eagles couldn’t find success against the Atascadero defenders. When they got in range for a field goal, they were blocked, keeping the score level at the end of the half.
Atascadero’s defense once again stepped up in the fourth quarter, as junior cornerback Tyson Tenhaeff intercepted Templeton to give the Greyhounds a chance to go up late.
Though the offense went three and out on the following drive, they were given another shot as their sturdy defense stopped Templeton again.
Converting multiple fourth downs on the drive, the Greyhounds marched into field goal range and took a timeout with three seconds remaining, leaving the game up to a player who hadn’t stepped on the field for Atascadero before this game.
Armand Masatagni had missed the first three games of the season after transferring from Paso Robles. Though he had solid punts and kickoffs throughout the game, it was unknown how he’d handle a high-pressure situation in his first game as a Greyhound.
But the pressure didn’t seem to bother Masatagni at all. The senior buried the field goal down the middle, propelling Atascadero to a 10-7 victory as the rest of the team rushed the field to congratulate their new teammate.
With the win, the Greyhounds move to 2-3 on the year. They still need another victory in order to be considered for the CIF Central Section Playoffs, but have gained some much-needed momentum going into the latter half of the season.
Up next, the Greyhounds will play in their first Sunset League conference game against Santa Ynez on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
– By Lano Somotun
