Atascadero headed to state championship game after shutting out Colusa

Atascadero didn’t have to make a comeback against Colusa in the CIF Division 6-A Regional Finals on Saturday.

In cold and wet conditions north of Sacramento, the Greyhounds (10-4) dominated the Redhawks 21-0 and are headed to the state championship game next week.

The Hounds’ stout defense held Colusa scoreless throughout the game, putting up the team’s second shutout of the postseason. Across four playoff games, Atascadero has outscored its opponents 122-21, and the defense has given up points in only two of the 16 quarters of football.

Trey Cooks got the Greyhounds on the board early on Saturday.

Six minutes into the game, Cooks broke through the line to score a 9-yard touchdown, capping a drive in which Atascadero showcased its punishing ground game. Brayden Slane set up Cooks’ score with a long run to the 22-yard line.

Coming into the matchup with Colusa, Slane had three carries on the year and seven receptions. He epitomizes the strong depth the team has across the board.

In the second quarter, the Greyhounds’ defense recovered a fumble in the first minute of the period.

The offense once again found yardage on the ground, with the highlight being a long run by Kane Cooks all the way to Colusa’s 3-yard line. His older brother then Trey punched the ball in for a 1-yard score to make it 14-0.

The closest the Redhawks came to scoring came late in the second quarter when they advanced to the Greyhounds’ 32-yard line. However, Atascadero’s defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs in the waning seconds of the half.

The stop was a crucial turning point for the Greyhounds, coming before they were set to receive the ball to start the second half.

On the Greyhounds’ second offensive possession of the second half, the offense got in sync once again.

Kane Cooks had a quarterback keeper to Atascadero’s 45-yard line, followed by a Trey Cooks’ run to the 35-yard line of the Redhawks. Diego Real got the team to the 4-yard line, which set up a rushing touchdown to make the game 21-0.

With three minutes remaining, the Greyhounds forced the Redhawks into their third turnover on downs of the day and closed out the game.

The win was Atascadero’s 10th in its last 11 games after starting the season 0-3 in non-league play.

It sends the Hounds to the CIF Division 6-A State Finals, where they will take on San Gabriel High School at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The location has not yet been announced.

This story was originally published December 3, 2022 at 9:10 PM.