Ramirez carries Taft past Gage Park

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:22PM

Omar Ramirez ran for two touchdowns and Paul Urbanek scored twice

as Taft overcame an early deficit to beat Gage Park 33-14 at Rockne Stadium

on Thursday afternoon.

The Eagles improved to 2-0 entering next week's Big Shoulders opener against

Foreman.

The Fighting Owls got on the board first with a nine-play drive that result

in Kevin Wims' 33-yard touchdown pass to Rashied Treadway.

But Urbanek returned the kick 88 yards for the tying score, and Taft

followed with another four touchdowns to go ahead 33-6 late in the third

quarter.

"We took that first punch and regathered ourselves," Taft coach Matt Walsh

said. "We had to step up and make tackles. Gage Park is a good team with

good athletes. The big thing for us to not break containment."

The 5-foot-4 Ramirez showed his shiftiness by taking his first carry 35

yards and his second 21 yards for the go-ahead TD. The senior finished with

nine carries for 112 yards.

Mike Shewchuk was rarely needed. The senior quarterback went 2-for-6 for 40

yards and two scores, one to Sebastian Pinillos and one to Urbanek.

Taft's defense did its job after that first drive. Defensive back Andrew

Matos had two interceptions, while lineman Nick Alvarez had two sacks and

was in on another.

"I like to chase quarterbacks," Alvarez said. "I feel like people

underestimate my speed," Alvarez said.

Wims added Gage Park's second score on an 11-yard run early in the fourth

quarter.

The Fighting Owls, who were penalized 10 times and fumbled two punt snaps

that led to Taft touchdowns, dropped to 1-1 on the year. They play Urban Prep next week.

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