Isaiah Welch scored three touchdowns and for the second consecutive week Golden Valley head football coach Rick Martinez was dancing during the Cougars’ postgame celebration after a 27-24 victory over Atwater at Dave Honey Stadium. “The kids were telling me this week that I had to get a little bit better so this week we were working in the classroom at lunchtime,” Martinez said. “The kids said we were 100 times better today.”

After an 0-6 start to the season, Martinez and his players have reason to smile after back-to-back wins over Buhach Colony and Atwater. The two wins have come by a combined four points. “You get that monkey off your back, and everybody can settle down,” Martinez said. We figured out when we can do things right at practice every day, then good things happen to us. I'm a firm believer that good things happen to people who do things right.”

The Cougars took a 14-10 lead into halftime after Welch scored on a short run and quarterback Gabe Richards connected with Jaren Bell on a 20-yard touchdown pass. Atwater battled back as Isaiah Navarro scored on a touchdown catch to give the Falcons (4-4 overall, 1-2 CCC) a 17-14 lead midway through the third quarter. 

Bell then delivered a big kickoff return to help set up Welch with an 8-yard touchdown run to put the Cougars (2-6, 2-1 CCC) out in front 21-17 with 7 minutes left in the third quarter. Atwater quarterback A.J. Banks then answered with a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Falcons a 24-21 lead with 7 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Cougars took the lead again with Welch’s third touchdown of the game with 4:17 left on the clock. The Golden Valley defense did its just holding an explosive Atwater offense to 24 points.

“I keep saying I have one of the best coaching staffs in the area and we put a good game plan together and the  kids did a good job executing tonight.”

Los Banos 48, Buhach Colony 9 – The Tigers scored the final 34 points of the game to hand Buhach Colony (3-5 overall, 1-2 CCC) its second consecutive loss. Raul Diaz scored two rushing touchdowns for Los Banos (4-4, 2-1 CCC). Buhach Colony’s lone touchdown came on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Dayton Fitzgerald to Aedyn Bighom that cut the Los Banos lead to 14-9 with 6:38 left in the first half.

Lathrop 61, Livingston 27 – Trey Santos scored five touchdowns, including a 65-yard punt return to lead the Spartans (7-1 overall, 4-0 Western Athletic Conference) past the Wolves. Livingston (3-5, 3-2 WAC) had pulled to within 35-27 late in the third quarter before Lathrop pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.