Prep football: Paso Robles runs over Atascadero in second-half shootout
Paso Robles High used a 14-point third quarter to blow open a big lead and went on the beat Atascadero 42-25 in a PAC 5 contest Friday night in Atascadero.
Beast of North County
After missing two league games with a staph infection, Paso Robles running back Christian Erickson returned with a vengeance in the Bearcats’ biggest rivalry game of the season. Erickson carried the ball 28 times for 297 yards and four touchdowns, with 209 yards coming in the second half.
He shed tacklers and sprinted away from defensive backs on long touchdown runs of 31, 33, 45 and 61 yards, respectively.
After leading 14-10 at halftime, two runs by Erickson set the tone for a monster second half. On second-and-20, the senior scratched and clawed his way for a first down when it looked like Paso Robles would start with a three-and-out following a penalty. A couple plays later, he scored on a 31-yard run to give Paso Robles a 21-10 lead.
But arguably his biggest play of the night came when he saved a touchdown by chasing down Atascadero’s talented receiver Elijah Cooks and stripped him from behind just before halftime.
“He’s a phenomenal player. He’s going to go down in Paso Robles history as one of the best,” head coach Matt Carroll said.
Scrambling Schouten
On Friday night, senior quarterback Steven Schouten was about as elusive as a summer-time shower in Atascadero. The speedy wide receiver-turned-quarterback extended plays all night, turning nothing into something either with long runs or throws on the run.
Schouten had 11 rushes for 121 yards and a touchdown and went 9 for 17 passing for 155 yards with an interception and a touchdown. His 12-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Giroux on a fourth-and-5 that he threw rolling out of the pocket to the left put them up 28-10 and showed the Bearcats had something to prove in their final regular season game.
Atascadero Passing Attack
Atascadero senior quarterback Carson Rinkenberger turned in quite a performance in the loss. Rinkenberger was 18 of 27 for 365 yards and three touchdowns. Lucas Sprouse was his favorite target. Sprous had nine catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Rinkenberger hooked up with Sprouse for a 78-yard score in the second quarter to give Atascadero its last lead of the night, 10-7.
Elijah Cooks had six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.
No Schimke
It was the second consecutive game played by Paso Robles High without head coach Rich Schimke, who was placed on administrative leave and then not allowed to return to the team following an incident in the locker room on Oct. 14. Schouten and Erickson both said they wanted to win the game for Schimke.
“We just played like any other game try to just not think about distractions, but in our hearts, Schimke is with us,” Erickson said.
Interim head coach Matt Carroll didn’t miss a beat, going for it on fourth down and throwing in an onside kick after an early touchdown, both calls the gambling Schimke has been known for during his 17 years at the helm.
Erickson said it was Carroll’s halftime speech that helped Paso Robles come out strong in the second half to pull away and help all but secure a spot in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
What’s Next
Atacadero’s season is likely done after finishing with a 5-5 record, 2-2 in the PAC 5, but they do have a small chance of making the playoffs. Only three out of the 19 teams in their division won’t make it. Paso Robles (8-2, 3-1) finishes the regular season behind first-place Arroyo Grande and will make the field of 16 in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, but will have to wait to find out where they land.
This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 11:26 PM with the headline "Prep football: Paso Robles runs over Atascadero in second-half shootout."