Laguna Creek can't stop the rolling Thunder

They're playing the best football in the school's history, but the Rocklin Thunder must now prove they can win against Sierra Foothill League opponents.Rocklin (3-0) wrapped up its pre-league schedule with a 41-13 crushing of visiting Laguna Creek on Friday night. Rocklin has beaten Del Campo, Granite Bay and Laguna Creek by a combined score of 79-27. Last season, opening up against the same three schools, the Thunder dropped each game and were outscored 64-20.Rocklin opens league play against visiting Monterey Trail on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Monterey Trail, in its first season with seniors, has blown out Rosemont (54-14) but was beaten badly by Valley (48-0) and Inderkum (41-8).Rocklin's players are very excited about the opening of league play as they believe they have enough talent to make the playoffs (top two SFL teams qualify). The Thunder have never reached the playoffs before."We're talking playoffs," said Rocklin senior two-way lineman Clinton Lessard said, who is in his second season on the varsity. "Since I've been on the varsity we've never had a blowout win until (Friday) and I never thought we'd ever score 41 points in a game."Rocklin coach Greg Benzel thinks the SFL will be as tough as it's has been in recent years. "There has been a stigma about our league being down this year and I don't believe that at all," he said.Del Oro and Roseville, like Rocklin, have yet to lose a game.Laguna Creek could do nothing to stop Rocklin's running game on Friday. The Thunder attempted just four passes, completed three, and ran wild otherwise. Sixteen of Rocklin's first 17 plays were on the ground, to the delight of the offensive linemen."Your know your o-line is doing great when you run 16 of 17 plays," Lessard said.Junior running back Devin Dykstra was again the workhorse for the Thunder. He carried the ball 19 times for 56 yards and three touchdowns. Junior teammate Cameron Thomits ran 11 times for 96 yards, putting an exclamation point on his day with a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Junior Miguel Hernandez, who had been injured until this game, showed promise with 39 yards on six carries in the fourth quarter.The Thunder also slowed down speedy Laguna Creek receiver Jeremy Ross, who has received interest for West Coast Division I college teams."We had the advantage at the line even though they were extremely physical," said Benzel, who was pleased with all aspects of his team's play. "Our defense gave us a short field and was phenomenal, and our special teams (limited Ross). And (quarterback) Matt Anderson is doing a phenomenal job."Anderson was 3-for-3 for 120 yards, and threw a 90-yard touchdown pass to junior Dylan Lane.Lane, who also scored on a long pass against Granite Bay, gave Rocklin a 14-7 lead with seven minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter."All I did was run my route," said Lane who ditched a Cardinals' defensive back as soon as he caught the ball. "Since we run the ball so much, the safeties come up and (going deep) is working. Our 3-0 start just comes from working hard all off-season."After Laguna Creek scored early on a long touchdown reception by Ross, Rocklin's Dykstra scored on a one-yard run to tie the game late in the first quarter. Lane's long touchdown put the Thunder up by seven and senior teammate Derek Glazer returned an interception about 40 yards for a touchdown to put Rocklin up 21-7 with 1:23 left in the half.Rocklin intercepted three more passes in the second half as Glazer got another one to join David Akinnyi and Pat O'Brien. Teammate Chase Baker recovered a Cardinals' fumble as well. The offense continued to roll also as Dykstra had two rushing touchdowns in the half and Thomits had one.Rocklin's rushing attack has been strong in all three games despite the fact that it is playing without senior running back Keith Blansett. Blansett broke his leg in the final pre-season scrimmage. He has attended the last two games on crutches after spending the first game in the hospital."It has been heartbreaking I worked hard all off-season," said Blansett, who only played a few plays last season because he tore his MCL. "Lately I've been able to be around the team and the guys are doing great." Junior VarsityRocklin 38, Laguna Creek 0Beau Bussani ran for three touchdowns and Rocklin rushed for 228 yards behind the steady blocking of offensive linemen Vincent Chandler and Trevor Laporta. It was the Thunder's first victory of the season.Chris Garrison made two interceptions, one of which he returned 80 yards for a touchdown. Travis Duggan kicked a 25-yard field goal in the win."I am very proud of each of our players," Rocklin said Jared Amalong. "We grew as a football team tonight. Every player worked hard all week and, as a result, contributed to our success on offense, defense, and special teams."Rocklin hosts Monterey Trail at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.FreshmenRocklin 7, Laguna Creek 0Rocklin's Sky Mills connected with Karl Cannon on a 50-yard pass play in the second quarter and that was all the Thunder needed to improve to 2-1 on the season.Mills was 4-8 for 71 yards and teammate Tony Matavale rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries to lead the running game.Brandon Baroni and Ben Holland led the charge on defense while Eric D'Amico had a touchdown saving tackle on fourth down near the end of the first half.Defensive linemen Dean Begley, Matt Longo, David Waterhouse, Brian Scott and Clay Embree did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage and pressuring the quarterback. Rocklin's Kevin Spaulding was a star in the secondary.The Thunder will host Monterey Trail at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.