No. 5 Football Opens League Play with 52-36 Rout of Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, Calif. - The No. 5 Butte football team opened NorCal League play with a 52-36 rout of Santa Rosa on Saturday evening.

The Roadrunners got off to a quick start, taking a 13-0 lead in 3:16 behind sophomore Jonah Marcaida's 54-yard punt return for a touchdown and sophomore Marvelous Owen's 19-yard touchdown off a fumble recovery.

Butte capitalized on Santa Rosa's three turnovers, adding a pair of picks for 32 total yards with five sacks for 48 yards.

Sophomore Ousmane Doumbia led the defensive effort with nine tackles, seven solo, and two tackles for loss. Sophomore Gabe Foster added four solo tackles with three tackles for loss for 24 yards including two sacks for 18 yards. Sophomore Aiden Sullivan and freshman Aiden Whipple were the recipients of the two picks thrown, while sophomore Derik Lawing and freshmen Abraham Sanders and Malachi Calhoun chalked up the team's other sacks.

Offensively, sophomore Rieger Sayre went 9-for-15 for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore Christian Vaughn continued to lead the ground game with 138 yards and a score. Freshman Brandon Smith was Sayre's favorite target in the game with two receptions for 68 yards, including the first offensive touchdown of the game on a 68-yard pass.

Freshman Danny Alvarez went 2-for-2 in field goals, including a long of 47. 

Butte (5-1, 1-0) returns home to host No. 6 American River on Saturday, Oct. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., and it is the team's "I Wear Pink for ____" game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.