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10A Double Coverage Spartans shock No. 1 Bobcats DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 RED BLUFF 34, PARADISE 12 By ANDRE BYIK DN Sports Editor Five weeks ago the question was, "Is Red Bluff for real?" team was heading into their Eastern Athletic League opener at Enter- prise sporting a 3-0 record, but they fell big 50-7, and so did expecta- tions. Fast forward to Friday. It was homecoming night at Red Bluff High School, and after Rachel Ward was crowned the queen, the Spartans dethroned the Bobcats with a 34-12 victory. Paradise (6-3, 4-2 The Spartans football Saturday mornings online at redbluffdailynews.com • reprinted in Tuesday's print edition Week 9 Friday's results Red Bluff 34, Paradise 12 Yreka27, Corning 20 Central Valley 29, Lassen 21 Chester 33, University Prep 15 Chico 42, Pleasant Valley 25 Durham 51, Mt. Shasta 15 East Nicolaus 29, Esparto 7 Enterprise 42, Shasta 26 Foothill 55, Oroville 13 Hamilton 55, Colusa 28 Maxwell 56, Biggs 24 Modoc 49, Burney 20 Orland 48, Wheatland 20 Pierce 14, Live Oak 7 Quincy 50, Williams 22 Sutter 46, Las Plumas 7 West Valley 56, Anderson 8 Willows 16, Trinity 15 Winters 69, Gridley 38 Saturday's result Etna 25m St. Mary's 20 Friday's 8-man results Butte Valley 59, Happy Camp 12 Hayfork 22, Tulelake 20 Loyalton 41, Greenville 14 Princeton 44, Westwood 28 Redding Christian 24, Dunsmuir 16 Standings Eastern Athletic League Overall EAL) was on pace for their fifth straight No. 1 seed in the postseason. Now the No. 3 spot isn't out of the question. For the Spartans (6-3, 2-3 EAL), the win ensures a postseason berth, which already was likely, but they still needed help from teams beating a lowlier Las Plumas team. Coming into the match, the Spartans had dropped their last eight meetings with Paradise. "This is obviously a huge, huge win for us," Red Bluff coach Corey Hein said. It was Red Bluff's star running back Tucker Gul- liford, who has been ter- rorizing the section all year, that again came through with a four- touchdown night on 163 yards rushing when the lights shined brightest. "We went from no respect, to all respect over this game," said Gulliford, who already has amassed more than 1,000 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this year. After a Red Bluff three-and-out on their first possession, it took Par- adise just two plays to rush 50 yards for the first six points of the match. Jonathon Dixon, the Bobcats' workhorse in the backfield, broke it for a 27-yard touchdown. It looked easy. The extra point attempt was blocked by Brandon But the game started as most would probably expect. Enterprise Paradise Foothill Chico Shasta Red Bluff Daily News photos by Andre Byik The Red Bluff Spartans celebrate after upsetting the Paradise Bobcats 34-12 at home Friday. Ragone. Unlike the Spartans' slow start in Redding five weeks earlier, however, their defense dug in and didn't allow another touchdown until there were about three minutes left in the first half. That's been a turn- around for the team, Hein said. 4-1 4-2 3-2 3-2 2-3 2-3 Pleasant Valley 0-5 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-3 5-4 6-3 2-7 Northern Athletic League Overall Central Valley West Valley Yreka Lassen Corning Anderson 4-0 3-1 2-2 2-2 1-3 0-4 8-Man South "When we fell behind, the mentality was 'It's over,'" he said, adding that as the season has pro- gressed, so has the team's reception to the coaching staff. League Overall "If we go three-and- out, we punt, we know we can play defense," Hein said. It was Red Bluff's calm and steady senior quarter- back Garrett Sandow who sparked his offense with a gutsy 31-yard run through the middle of the field late in the first quarter. Instead of sliding to a stop to avoid being tackled, Sandow turned and plunged into the Paradise defensemen that were waiting for him. W Westwood Herlong G H Red Bluff's Tucker Gulliford carries the ball against Paradise on Friday. want to win so bad. I would just do anything to win." The collision echoed through Spartans Stadi- um. Sandow ran for another eight yards to reach the Bobcats' 24-yard line. And kept the ball for another run, which looked like another big gain until the Spartans were pushed back to Paradise's 41 because of a block-in-the- back penalty. Facing third-and-long, On the same drive, "I wouldn't call it a statement," Sandow said after the game. "I just Sandow hooked up with Christian Jordan down the left sideline for 40 yards. Dillon Milton ran in the one-yard touchdown, Connor Ross' kick was good and the Spartans had their first lead of the game, 7-6, early in the second quarter. They didn't give it up. Red Bluff's defense staged a shutout in the second half, when Gulli- ford gave the spartans a three-touchdown cushion. "Everyone's been hat- ing on the defense," Sandow said. "Twelve points." Sandow added that credit goes to Red Bluff's green offensive line as well. real? Loyalton Princeton Greenville Mercy 5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 0-5 7-2 6-3 5-4 5-4 1-7 0-8 Playoff Points they're as real as any team in a league that's shown remarkable parity. So, is Red Bluff for On Friday, they proved Foothill (6-3, 3-2 EAL) next week. The Spartans host Sports Editor Andre Byik can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 111 or sports@redbluffdai- lynews.com. Follow him on Twitter:@TehamaSports ——— D-VI Playoffs Friday or Saturday Semis:Nov. 9-10 Final: Nov. 16-17 S4. WARRIORS (5-4) N1. R. Christian (10-0) N3. Butte Valley (6-2) S2. Princeton (6-3) N4. Tulelake (5-4) S1. Loyalton (7-2) Spartans senior quarterback Garrett Sandow, left, looks downfield against the Bobcats on Friday. G S3. Greenville (5-4) N2. Dunsmuir (9-1) Cardinals lose at Yreka 27-20 Corning's playoff hopes were dealt a severe blow Friday when Yreka handed the Cardinals a 27-20 defeat. Chayce Maday went 5-for-8 passing for 67 yards and two touchdowns on the road. Cody Long rushed 15 times for 89 yards and a score and also caught a touchdown pass. Nathan Fultz added another 126 yards on the ground on 15 carries. The Red Bluff Spartans celebrate after beating Paradise at home Friday. Week 10 Schedule All games 7:30 p.m. except where noted Friday's games Foothill at Red Bluff West Valley at Corning Anderson at Central Valley, 7 p.m. Chester at Portola Chico at Shasta Durham at Live Oak East Nicolaus at Hamilton Enterprise at Pleasant Valley Fall River at Burney Gridley at Wheatland, 7 p.m. Las Plumas at Paradise Maxwell at University Prep, 7 p.m. Orland at Winters Quincy at Esparto Sutter at Oroville Trinity at Mt. Shasta Williams at Colusa Willows at Pierce Yreka at Lassen Division VI 8-man Playoffs Quarterfinals Friday's games touchdown for 51 yards. Thomas Lowe had seven tackles on defense and Anthony Peter and Colton Conoly each had a sack. Colton Peterson caught two passes, including a S4. Mercy at N1. Redding Christian N3. Butte Valley at S2. Princeton S3. Greenville at N2. Dunsmuir N4. Tulelake at S1. Loyalton 1. Enterprise 6-3 2. Paradise 6-3 3. Foothill 6-3 4. Chico 6-3 5. Red Bluff 6-3 6. Shasta 5-4 7. Las Plumas 3-6 Division I — Top 6 qualify 22.67 20.50 20.30 18.17 14.27 13.56 10.73 8. Pleasant Valley 2-7 7.52 9. Oroville 1-8 1. Sutter 9-0 2. West Valley 8-1 5.64 Division II — Top 8 qualify 26.60 22.14 3. Central Valley 5-4 21.86 4. Orland 7-2 5. Wheatland 6-3 6. Yreka 7-2 7. Live Oak 6-3 8. Lassen 3-6 9. Winters 5-4 10. Corning 4-5 11. Anderson2-7 12. Gridley 0-9 20.68 19.07 16.38 15.17 14.83 14.26 12.29 8.62 6.00 5-4 8-1 7-2 3-6 4-5 2-7