The Fremont Pathfinders football team defeated the Manual Arts Toilers 36-16 in the first round of the CIF City Section Division III playoffs.
Fremont Junior Andrew Williams scored four touchdowns in the contest. Manual Arts senior Dominique Lamb scored twice.
The Toilers made two turnovers early, the second leading to Williams scoring a touchdown on a 14-yard run. A failed extra-point attempt left Fremont with a 6-0 lead.
“When I’m running and I feel like somebody is contesting me, I instantly get into a defense mechanism,” Williams said. “I lean forward and I run harder.”
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Manual Arts retaliated in the second quarter when Lamb rushed in for a touchdown on a second-and-goal. They took the lead with a successful two-point conversion.
Fremont scored two more times before halftime, one being a 53-yard rush from Williams. The Pathfinders were up 22-8 going into halftime.
“We were up but we still had to fight, we still had two quarters left,” said Fremont junior Daniel Battle. “We had to put more effort in.”
The Toilers came into the second half strong, converting a fourth down on the ground and scoring on a first-and-goal.
“My mindset going into the game was going hard, all I wanted to do is win,” Lamb said. “If I believe, my teammates believe and that’s what we did.”
Fremont went quietly into the fourth quarter only to end the game with big plays. Quarterback Jahdiel Roberts connected with Williams on a fourth-and-long to score.
The next Manual Arts offensive drive was short-lived as senior Jerrin Dorton committed an interception. Fremont rushed down the field; Battle made the last touchdown of the game from 13 yards out.
“It was rough in the beginning of the quarters. [Manual Arts] was getting a lot of yards and we stopped them,” Battle said. “We started stopping them in the second half and then they didn’t score after that.”
Manual Arts finish their season with a 4-7 overall record and a 2-2 Exposition League record. This season marked the first year Lamb played at quarterback.
“Coach Horn has groomed me to be a great quarterback,” Lamb said. “The last three seasons, he has pushed me to my limits and always taught me to go hard and do my best.”
Fremont, who has the 13th seed in the Division III playoffs, will head into another away game as they battle the Los Angeles Romans on November 15 at 1:30P.M..