Following their 65-52 victory last week against previously undefeated Patterson, the Hillmen (12-0) continue their playoff quest tonight with a showdown against top-seeded and also undefeated Central Catholic (12-0), with a birth in the Division III section championship game at stake. The Hillmen have churned out 1024 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground in two playoffs games thanks to excellent offensive line play. The performance of the offensive line will be pivotal tonight as they will look to open up holes for Owen Scott (1487 yards rushing, 21 touchdowns), Jared Halbert (1146 yards rushing, 18 touchdowns), and Waylen Cozad (858 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns), against a solid Central Catholic defensive line. On the defensive side of the ball, the Hillmen will be faced with the challenge of containing running backs Justin Rice (1685 yards, 18 touchdowns), Jared Rice (898 yards, 12 touchdowns), and Montell Bland (347 yards, 12 touchdowns). Quarterback Hunter Petlansky also serves as a dual threat with 1371 yards passing and 14 touchdowns, and 658 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Placer quarterback Marcus Ante is coming off a strong game last week in which he threw two touchdown passes, including a 65 yard strike to Scott and will look to keep the momentum rolling tonight. Come on out and support your Hillmen in what figures to be an exciting battle tonight at 7pm! If you can’t make it out to the game, tune in to AM 950 KAHI to hear all the action, or follow us on Twitter for live in-game updates!

CIF Division III Playoff Bracket

TURKEY AND FOOTBALL: The best teams practice on Thanksgiving

2015 Hillmen Stats

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The Hillmen (12-0) took their offensive show on the road Friday night and did not disappoint, piling up 656 yards of total offense and nine touchdowns, to tame the Patterson Tigers (11-1) 65-52, setting up a showdown with undefeated Central Catholic this Friday night.  Owen Scott continued his impressive run with 450 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, Waylen Cozad added 148 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, and Jared Halbert had 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well, as the offensive line once again controlled the line of scrimmage, leading the way for the offensive explosion. Quarterback Marcus Ante turned in a solid performance with a pair of touchdown passes, including a 64 yard strike to Scott. Defensively, Michael Downen wreaked havoc up front with seven tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a forced fumble. Logan Crawford had eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack, and Jacob Capra also added a sack. Ryan Huston had 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and Derek Haney, who was also on the receiving end of Ante’s second touchdown pass, had a key interception for the Placer. The Hillmen will travel to Modesto to take on top seeded Raiders next with a berth in the section championship game on the line. To read more about Friday night’s victory, check out today’s article in the Auburn Journal!

ROAD WARRIORS: Placer drops host Patterson 65-52 to reach section semifinals

CIF Division III Playoff Bracket

2015 Hillmen Stats

The undefeated Hillmen will hit the road tonight to take on Patterson in a battle of unbeatens tonight in round two of the Sac Joaquin  Division III playoffs. Last week, the Hillmen (11-0) defeated River City in the opening round, piling up 487 yards on the ground, and coming up with some key defensive stops late in the game to secure a 55-41 victory. Owen Scott (309 yards, four touchdowns last week) will look to continue his torrid run which has seen him rack up 911 yards of offense and 13 touchdowns in the last three games. Fullback Jared Halbert who went over 1000 yards for the season last week with his 100 yard, four touchdown performance against River Valley has also been a key cog in the ground attack. Waylen Cozad who returned from injury with several bruising blocks and some nice runs, give the Hillmen a potent trio on the ground as they gear up for a playoff run. The offensive line which once again controlled the line of scrimmage against River Valley much like they have all year, will be key tonight against Patterson. One of the biggest keys for the Hillmen offensively will be protecting the football. Patterson (11-0) forced nine fumbles and recovered seven in their 73-42 victory over Yuba City. Defensively, Placer will look to build off of their strong second half performance last week, which included strong play up front by the defensive line and big plays from the linebackers and the secondary. They will be faced with the task of containing Patterson’s athletic backfield of Michael Lawson (709 yards rushing, 13 touchdowns, 492 yards receiving seven touchdowns), Jamal Broussard (794 yards, 8 touchdowns), and Alec Espos (407 yards rushing, four touchdowns, 407 yards receiving, five touchdowns). It figures to be an exciting night of football! Kickoff is set for 7 pm. If you can’t make it out to the game, tune in to KAHI 950 to hear all the action. Follow us on Twitter for live in-game scoring updates!

Odds and ends from 2015 playoffs

CIF Division III Playoff Bracket

2015 Hillmen Stats

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After capping off an undefeated regular season last Friday night against Colfax, the Hillmen (10-0) are primed and ready to begin their playoff run tonight in the opening round of the Division III playoffs against River Valley (8-2). The Hillmen with be getting several key starters back. Linebacker Brian Stangland who has been out since week three, running back Waylen Cozad, and center Jack Petty.  One of the biggest keys to the game will be the battle in the trenches. Placer has been dominant up front on both sides of the ball this season. Jacob Capra, Diego Lopez, Jack Petty, Logan Moore,  Tyler Mader, and Alex Houston will look to neutralize a strong River Valley front four on defense.  On defense, Michael Downen, Simeon Engle, Logan Crawford, Capra, and Lopez have consistently pressured opposing quarterbacks all year and will be looking to do the same against River City’s Avery Gould. Offensively, running backs Owen Scott and Jared Halbert will look to continue their recent run of success on the ground, and figure to get a boost with the return of Cozad, who was also having an impressive season prior to his injury. Tight end Derek Haney has also been impressive of late, and quarterback Marcus Ante has turned in solid performances in recent weeks. River City is led offensively by running backs Dante Love, Clarence Pierson, wide receiver JoJo Penn, and Gould. It promises to be an exciting night of football. Kickoff is set for 7 pm. Come out and support your Hillmen!  If you can’t make it out to the game, tune in to KAHI 950 to hear all the action. Follow us on Twitter for live in-game scoring updates!

CIF Division III Playoff Bracket

2015 Pioneer Valley League Standings

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