Tweet
Overtime Win: Matadors Win a Special Game on Opening Day!
Portland @ Los Angeles
Attendance: 34,400. (Best since 2019)
Five thousand more than last season's average attendance!
It was one of the ugliest games I've even been in, but it's better than losing in a pretty manner.
- Special teams lifted the Matadors when the offense couldn't find a rhythm, didn't establish the run, and faced an average ten yards to go on third down. Los Angeles could only muster 190 yards total on offense and had the ball for twenty minutes.
- Meanwhile, Portland's offense kept the ball twice as long, dominating the time of possession with 41 minutes of dominant offense. The Matadors defense bent, but didn't break, and still managed to keep Portland's offense to twenty points.
- Special teams paved the way for Los Angeles. Portland's average starting position was the 24 yard line, while Matadors started on our own thirty eight. Kick return specialst Fernando Banks returned five kickoffs for 150 yards, a 30 yard average.
- Kicker Bob Blackwell kicked a 48 yard field goal to tie the game in the closing seconds of regulation to force overtime, and hit on both of his field goal attempts.
- Portland's kicker was 2 of four, and only one of three over forty yards.
- Fullback Calvin Oliver forced a fumble on a punt to Portland, and offensive tackle Sherman Wells rumbled and stumbled twenty yards for the overtime winning touchdown.
Los Angeles has now beaten Portland three straight games, and has won four of the last five matchups.
Next up: the Lawrence Phantoms
Comment