When our country reflects on the eight-year anniversary for 9-11 this September, the Oakdale Mustangs will be preparing for revenge on the Turlock Bulldogs.
Turlock played the role of the rude host, keeping the Mustangs off of the scoreboard for the entire first half and then watching Bulldog Theron Gallegos roll over the Mustangs for 200-plus yard on 30 carries for a season opening loss in Turlock.
Oakdale will have to work hard to put the loss behind them, and this season’s contest will be in the Corral so the Mustangs are taking every step to ensure they head into week two of the 2009 campaign on a one-game winning streak.
“The name of the game is always to win,” Oakdale head coach Trent Merzon said. “And with our schedule this year playing Turlock, Novato and Whitney we want to beat Turlock.
“We want to win that game and get out of the gate.”
Oakdale has been grinding throughout the entire summer, taking morning shifts to get in the weight room while going over the football tangibles in the evenings.
Oakdale has continued an impressive summer league passing scrimmage schedule by playing host to Pitman, Johansen, Hilmar and West High on Wednesday, July 15 at the Corral.
The squads interchanged seven-minute offensive and defensive periods, getting each team a look at one another’s schemes on both sides of the ball.
Even though the scrimmages are a predominantly passing event, Oakdale is gaining valuable experience in their timing based offense. The duties of the running backs are as important on passing plays as they are on fourth-and-one.
The Mustangs will look to continue to grow in the summer months as they play host to Johansen, Pitman and Grace Davis this evening, July 22, followed by the squad’s final tune up July 29.
