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ByChipThompson editor@redbluffdailynews.com @editorchip on Twitter REDDING GoingupagainstaShasta Wolves team that played in the fi- nals in 2015, the Red Bluff Spartans were supposed to get blown out Fri- day night. Somebody forgot to tell the Spar- tans. Despite a final score of 59-30, the Spartans were in the game most of the way and held a 23-22 lead mid- way through the third quarter. "Don't hang your heads, it was a hard fought game," coach Corey Hein told his players after the game. Hein said the loss came down to about six plays late in the game that went wrong. "The rest of the time you guys played right with them," Hein said. "Last year they led 42-0 in the first quarter and tonight we were leading in the third. How far have we come?" The Wolves got on the board with the first play from scrimmage, but the Spartans clamped down and the teams battled for field position most of the rest of the quarter. The Spartans won the battle, eventually taking over at the Wolves 31 yard line. A few plays later Kaden Pearce carried it in for the score and Ian Hagen's extra point was good to tie the game at 7 with just under 4 FOOTBALL SPARTANS LEAD LATE BUT FALL TO SHASTA TheSpartansDillonGarciamakesadrive-stoppingsack Friday night against the Shasta Wolves. PHOTOS BY CHIP THOMPSON — DAILY NEWS The Spartans Cameron Ortega returns a punt Friday night against the Shasta Wolves. By Jimmy Durkin Bay Are News Group ALAMEDA The Raiders let go of players that other teams wanted — a bit of a contrast from years past. The fact that Oakland didn't have a spot and was willing to leave a player like George Atkin- son III exposed to the waiver wire shows the growth their ros- ter has made. The running back was claimed by the Cleveland Browns and cornerback Neiko Thorpe was swooped up by the Indianapolis Colts. Add this to the fact that the Raiders were able to turn a player who wasn't going to make the team — safety Dewey McDonald — into a conditional seventh-round pick from the Se- attle Seahawks and it says some- thing about the talent level in Oakland. "We feel good about the up- coming season and it starts with the players," general man- ager Reggie McKenzie said af- ter signing his four-year exten- sion in July. There's still a ton of youth on the Raiders roster, particularly at linebacker. Coach Jack Del Rio was quick to point out that a squad that had room for four undrafted free agents couldn't be all that stacked. But this is still the best ros- ter the Raiders have compiled in years and one that has Oakland thinking playoffs. The Raiders brass has yet to share their thoughts since the trim to 53, but here's a look at the group McKenzie, Del Rio and company have assembled. QUARTERBACKS(3) Derek Carr, Matt McGloin, Connor Cook. ANALYSIS The Raiders kept three quarterbacks and that's always been the plan. Yes, Oak- land has cut a fourth-round pick quarterback before (Tyler Wilson in 2013), but Cook has shown gradual improvement and they weren't cutting a guy they traded up to grab. The hope is he can eventually be Carr's backup — and that he doesn't sniff the field this year. RUNNING BACKS (5) Latavius Murray, DeAndre Washington, Jalen Richard, Taiwan Jones, FB Jamize Olawale. ANALYSIS Washington should snatch some carries away from Murray, who was second in the AFC with 1,066 rushing yards last season. Richard could get a few too. Jones had just two preseason carries and his role should be all about special teams. Olawale is the starting fullback, when the Raiders use one. WIDE RECEIVERS: (5) Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Seth Roberts, Andre Holmes, Johnny Holton. ANALYSIS Holton stuck around as the No. 5 receiver RAIDERS Analyzing the initial 53-man roster By Andrew Baggarly Bay Area News Group DENVER At some point, as you watch the Giants lineup roll over 89 mph fastballs and play dead, it strikes you: They had even years during the Dead Ball Era, too. Not even a change of scenery to Coors Field could enliven Bruce Bochy's glacial gang on Mon- day, and when you add a starting pitcher who issues frivolous walks in this ballpark … well, let's just hope no Giants fans delayed fir- ing up the Labor Day barbecue be- cause they watched the entirety of a 6-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Matt Moore gave up a grand slam to Carlos Gonzalez in the third inning, which made the game a lead pipe cinch for the Rockies given the Giants' offen- sive ineptitude. In fact, swinging lead pipes might have generated more prof- itable results. A Giants offense that just hit .106 in four games at Wrigley Field was held to two hits, the club's fewest ever in their 184 games played at Coors Field. They have been held to four hits or fewer in five consecutive games, a run never before expe- rienced in Giants modern fran- chise history. (And yes, that in- cludes the Dead Ball Era.) Giants manager Bruce Bochy already planned to give Brandon Belt (0 for his last 18) the day off and play Buster Posey at first base on Tuesday. Now he's expected to rest a few more of his struggling hitters against talented Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson. Kelby Tomlinson for Joe Panik? Mac Williamson for Denard Span, who's riding an 0-for-20? Why the heck not? "I mean, we're better than this," Bochy said. "You do your work. You do all you can to help out. This thing is contagious, and it's been here too long. You look for that magic wand, for what to say. "It was a heck of a series in Chi- cago (for Cubs pitchers). Whether this is a letdown today, I don't know. We definitely were flat to- day." Their postseason ambitions will flatline if this continues. Forget about climbing back into the NL West race for the mo- ment. The Giants are perilously close to falling out of the wild card standings, too, after losing ground to their two closest pur- suers. The Cardinals are a half- game back, and tied in the loss column. The Mets are one game behind the Giants. The Giants have been in po- sition to make the playoffs ev- ery day since May 10. Another 48 hours of this misery, and they could be on the outside looking in. Rockies right-hander Chad Bet- tis threw his first career complete game, and the first by a Rockies pitcher this season, and he did it on a tidy 103 pitches — one more than it took the Cubs' Jon Lester to go the distance against the Gi- ants on Friday. Bettis, who entered with a 5.17 ERA, had a perfect game until the fifth inning, when Eduardo Núñez got a two-out single to fall in left field. Backup catcher Trevor Brown doubled to start the sixth. There were no other baserunners, nobody to drive in. Nothing left to do but drive home MLB Giants fall to Rockies By Chip Thompson editor@redbluffdailynews.com @editorchip on Twitter OROVILLE The Corning Car- dinals trounced the Las Plu- mas Thunderbirds 51-7 in Oro- ville, the Mercy Warriors beat the Hayfork Timberjacks 38-32 in Hayfork and the Los Molinos Bulldogs were beaten 58-8 by the Redding Christian Lions in Palo Cedro in Friday night action. Cardinals51, Las Plumas 7 Corning Quarterback Devin Wunsch came up big for the Car- dinals Friday, going 3 of 5 for 72 yards passing and racking up 121 rushing yards and a touch- down. Oscar Garcia had 77 yards on 9 carries for 2 touchdowns; Cole Parker had 31 yards on 5 carries, reaching the end zone twice; Nolan Peterson carried the ball 7 times for 60 yards, in- cluding a long run of 41 yards, and a touchdown and Curtis Mc- Coy had 2 carries for 57 yards with a long of 33 yards. McCoy was on the receiving end of all 3 of Wunsch's throws, with a long of 43 yards and had an 80 yard kickoff return. On defense Noah Maeder had 9 tackles and Garcia Brendan Stewart each had 7. Cole Parker notched 2 sacks and Andrew Hernandez had 1. Kicker Junior Gonzalez was 5-5 on extra points. The Cardinals (1-1 overall) are scheduled to host the Orland Trojans (1-1 overall) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Warriors 38, Hafork 32 Mercy Quarterback Kavin Mc- Clellan was named overall player of the game in Friday's road win over the Hayfork Timberjacks, Tazman McClellan earned the honor on offense, Noe Rodriguez on defense and Carlos Rosales for special teams. Kavin McClellan went 3 of 5 for 74 yards and a touchdown, with an interception, passing and had a stunning 292 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns rushing. Rodriguez had 58 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries and a catch for 25 yards and Tazman McClellan had a touchdown and 49 yards on 2 catches. Rodriguez led the team in tack- les with 19, followed by Kavin Mc- Clellan and Dartagnan Kingwell with 10 each. Kavin McClellan also had an interception, which he retuned 95 yards for a score. Tazman McClellan, a sopho- more, and junior Ricky Orneles each had a fumble recovery. The Warriors (1-1 overall) are scheduled to host the Redding Christian Lions (2-0 overall) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Parish School. Bulldogs 8, Redding Christian 58 Los Molinos ran up against a tough Redding Christian squad — the 2015 Northern Section Champions — Friday night and were shut down offensively. Freshman Hunter Landing- ham was named overall and de- fensive player of the game, Tony Chambliss for offensive and Alex Russell for special teams. Landingham led the Bulldogs with 8 tackles, an interception and 4 kick returns for 69 yards. Russell completed 5 of 12 for just 29 yards and was picked off twice, but returned a kick- off 90 yards for the Bulldogs' only touchdown, tacking on the 2-point conversion. The Bulldogs (1-1 overall) are scheduled to host the Loyalton Grizzlies (0-2 overall) at 7 p.m. Friday. FOOTBALL Corning,Mercygetbigwinsonroad SPARTANS PAGE 2 GIANTS PAGE 2 RAIDERS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, September 6, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1