Week 1: Union prepares for California trip after topping Mountain View

Titans to make four-day trip to Bay Area in Week 2

The Union Titans are 1-0 and, a few days later, feel pretty good about being 1-0.

There is no doubt that there were a lot of people, including those on the Union squad, that thought they were going to roll to victory in the first game. Instead, it was a 17-14 victory over Mountain View, and the game was not decided until the Thunder fumbled the ball inside the red zone in the closing minutes.

Soon after the game, some players noted that it was “only” a three-point win and that the Titans will improve.

“It’s not the game we wanted, but we still got the job done,” Union’s Alishawuan Taylor said.

Well, the Titans do hope to improve, just like any team would. But after looking at the video, the Union coaches do think the Titans played well enough, especially for a Week 1 game. The score was courtesy of a very good opponent.

“I think Adam said it really good,” Union coach Rory Rosenbach said, noting a post-game comment from Mountain View coach Adam Mathieson, who said both teams know exactly who they are and that both teams know they are pretty good.

After Mountain View lost a ton of talent to graduation, Rosenbach acknowledged he was not sure of the Thunder. Again, after coaching from the sideline, then reviewing the game via video, of course he saw some mistakes by his team — all coaches do every game — but he also knows the opponent was good enough to force a lot of those errors.

“That was a really good first game for us. Mountain View does fantastic job exploiting things, letting us know, ‘This is where we have to get better,’” Union coach Rory Rosenbach said. “For us, it’s great for us to go back to work. We got out with a win, but clearly we have some things to work on.”

Jojo Siofele had a strong opening week, getting an interception in the first half, then carrying the Union offense in the second half. He carried the ball one time in the first half, then he carried 10 times for 110 yards in the second half, setting up a touchdown with one long run and setting up the game-winning field goal with another long run.

California knows how to party:

Next up for the Titans is a trip to The Golden State.

Union, in search of a Week 2 opponent, found one in El Cerrito, Calif., a few miles north of Oakland in the Bay Area.

The football game is only part of what is sure to be a memorable trip for the the Titans.

“Logistically, it could never work,” Rosenbach remembers thinkings. “We can make it work, though. The kids did everything we asked of them. They fundraised all summer. They did the things they had to make this happen.”

Here is the tentative plan:

Thursday:

Travel by bus.

Eat dinner with the El Cerrito Gauchos.

Pre-game practice at Contra Costa College.

Friday:

Game-day meetings.

Team goes to a movie.

Game

Saturday:

Hang out near the waterfront for a couple hours.

Drive to Davis to be guests of UC Davis and watch football game against the University of San Diego.

Hotel stay in Redding, Calif.

Sunday:

Stop in Eugene to get a tour of the football facilities at University of Oregon.

Coach insists that team will get food from Hawaiian Time.

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