Sutter shows old dominating form

Sutter High's football team learned a few things about itself during a 40-6 nonleague rout of Marysville in its home opener on Friday night.

The Huskies figured out they can be a pretty dominant team offensively if they hang onto the ball, and they found that junior quarterback Joe Winship has adjusted to the speed at the varsity level and can be a major weapon.

Fumbles plagued Sutter (2-1) in each of its first two games, but the Huskies did not put the ball on the Wayne Gadberry Field turf once against the Indians.

Winship has grown tremendously since the season-opening shutout loss to Live Oak and led the Huskies' wing-T attack effectively against Marysville. The junior is starting at quarterback for the first time since youth football, according to coach Scott Turner.

Against the Indians, Winship completed five of 15 passes for 120 yards with a 68-yard touchdown toss to tight end Brian Montoya, but he also found an ability to run the ball effectively, which spurred the Sutter offense, adding another dimension to its attack. Winship gained 65 yards on seven carries.

“I was nervous in my first start. I'm more comfortable in the pocket now and I've been practicing running,” Winship said. “The line has been blocking good; I have all day to throw, and I have a great tight end. He's a good receiver.”

Sutter's ability to sustain drives and control the line of scrimmage proved to be the difference.

The Huskies' offensive line gave Chad Moran plenty of running room, and the Huskies' senior back gained a game-high 116 yards on 19 carries and scored on a one-yard run.

Sutter chewed up 368 yards on the ground and 488 total yards. Boe Robinson added 70 yards on eight carries with a 26-yard touchdown run late in the game.

“(The offense) put together great drives and there were no fumbles,” Turner said. “If we hang onto the ball, we have a decent team. And, we didn't back our defense up against the wall.”

Justin Burrow added a 10-yard touchdown run for Sutter, Jake Orland had a plunge from the one for a score to make it 20-6 at the half, and Jack Winship scored the Huskies' final touchdown from 10.

“They were a lot more physical than we were up front,” Marysville coach Brad Sparks said. “They definitely wanted to win a lot more than we did.”

Sutter's offense didn't start rolling until early in the second quarter. Sutter drove inside of Marysville's 30 twice on its first two drives, once to the 15, but incomplete passes from Winship on fourth down gave Marysville the ball in each possession.

The Huskies' Todd Ziegenmeyer picked off Harryson Heilman early in the second quarter and Burrow turned the interception into a touchdown seven plays later as Sutter started attacking on the ground exclusively.

Winship made it 12-0 with 4:17 left in the half with his big touchdown toss to Montoya, who got behind Marysville's defensive backs.

The Indians and Heilman answered right back, however, cutting Sutter's lead to six after Heilman hooked up with Cory Oswood on a 69-yard reception down to the Sutter one. Wesley Lane scored two plays later from 3 out. Lane rushed for a team-high 69 yards on 18 carries. He was coming off a 192-yard game in a season-opening win over River Valley.

Heilman completed four of 11 passes for 91 yards and one interception.

But it was all Sutter after that, and the Huskies scored on four of six possessions in the second half.

“We needed that after complete frustration in the first two weeks,” Turner said.