Taft Partridge Granite Bay – Football

The fullback accounted for the majority of the yards during the Grizzlies’ game-winning touchdown drive in the CIF Division I Bowl championship on Dec. 14. Trailing 20-14 with just 3:40 remaining in the game, Partridge grinded out 56 of the 77 yards Granite Bay needed, including a key 33-yard screen pass to the Jackrabbits’ 27-yard line. Partridge followed the screen pass with punishing runs of 12, 8, and 3 yards to set up John Cooley’s 4-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining. For the season, he rushed for 825 yards and 9 TDs. His biggest game came in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I final where he torched Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills for 235 yards and two scores.

The fullback accounted for the majority of the yards during the Grizzlies’ game-winning touchdown drive in the CIF Division I Bowl championship on Dec. 14. Trailing 20-14 with just 3:40 remaining in the game, Partridge grinded out 56 of the 77 yards Granite Bay needed, including a key 33-yard screen pass to the Jackrabbits’ 27-yard line. Partridge followed the screen pass with punishing runs of 12, 8, and 3 yards to set up John Cooley’s 4-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining. For the season, he rushed for 825 yards and 9 TDs. His biggest game came in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I final where he torched Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills for 235 yards and two scores.

SportStars Magazine: Going onto the field for the final drive, did you know that your number would be called as much as it was?

Taft Partridge: I was telling my coach all game long to get me the ball to run inside. I knew that I was going to get the ball a lot and I think that it was my destiny for it to come down to that.

SSM: What did the Poly defense give you that allowed for the big screen pass play?

TP: We just took advantage of their aggressiveness. We knew that they were coming hard and fast, and that it would open up the screen play like it did.

SSM: As the youngest of four brothers to play at Granite Bay, does the state title give you ultimate bragging rights in the family?

TP: Definitely. My brother, Clark, had previous bragging rights as having played on the best team (the 2007 and 2008 Grizzlies won a SJS title with Clark as a junior, and fell to Grant in the playoffs the year that the Pacers won the CIF Open Bowl), but now they can’t deny that the state title gives me the honor.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tyler Ellis — Antelope’s senior post poured in 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to lead her team past Valley-Sacramento 67-29. The win improved the team’s record to 5-1.

Rey Vega — The Central Catholic-Modesto senior rushed for a game-high 208 yards on just six carries — four for TDs — to help lead the Raiders to a 66-7 victory over Santa Fe Christian-Solana Beach in the Div. IV CIF Bowl.

Haley Anderson—The Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills senior forward scored 12 points off the bench in the Lady Trojans’ 75-31 victory over rival Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove in the title game of the Oak Ridge tournament.