In the first quarter, the outcome of the Cordova High School football team winning its first conference title in 25 years was decided by the offense.

That led to the Lancers posting a 59-0 win over Rosemont in the Sierra Valley Conference finale on the road last Friday. The annual Cordova-Rosemont meeting is also dubbed as the Sledge Hammer Bowl, now in its second year.

On top of that, Cordova wins a share of the SVC title with Liberty Ranch and El Dorado; each team is 4-1. Two weeks ago, the Lancers lost to Liberty Ranch 7-6 in Galt. The week prior, Cordova (4-1 in the SVC, 7-3) beat El Dorado 40-14 at Lancers Stadium. Earlier last month, El Dorado edged Liberty Ranch 27-24.

All three squads advance into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, which started last night, Thursday, and today, Friday. Cordova opens the Division III playoffs tonight against Christian Brothers. Read elsewhere in the Sports section on the Lancers’ post-season run.

The Lancers scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to take a 22-0 over the host Wolverines. Two of those touchdowns were on the ground by running back Deante McCullough and one in the air by quarterback Xavier Johnson, both to wide receiver Calvin Augusta.

“We did what we wanted to do,” said Cordova head coach Darren Nill, in his second season. “We knew how we wanted to attack and we just went out and did it.”

In the second quarter, Cordova scored only one touchdown, on a run by running back/middle linebacker Kenneth Haney. The Lancers still led 29-0 at halftime.

Moving to the third quarter, the Lancers continued to score often again. This time, Haney scored his second touchdown, plus the 2-point conversion for a 37-0 lead.

Haney recorded a hat trick for the Lancers later in the quarter, this time on a touchdown pass from Johnson. That led to a 45-0 score.

Tyreke Tate scored for Cordova in the fourth quarter, on a 5-yard run that increased the lead to 53-0. The Lancers’ final touchdown came later in the quarter. Isaiah Wimberly booted most of the Lancers’ extra-points in the game.

Nill and his coaching staff kept their starters in the game. But as the quarter, entering the fourth quarter, was present, the coaches started to substitute freely.

“Once we called the dogs off, we put a lot of the second and third string kids in so they can get some playing time in,” Nill said. “You can’t tell them to take it easy, they want to play football. We kept it on the ground, but we were to control them (Rosemont) pretty good.”

On offense, the Lancers had 425 yards rushing, and 549 total yards. McCullough had 14 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns, both in the first quarter. Johnson had 10 carries for 99 yards, running back Terrill Johnson 5-78 and Haney 7-37.

In the air, Johnson completed 7-of-15 passes for 124 yards. Augusta was on the end of all of those passes, and had two touchdowns in the game.

Cordova linebacker Michael Gonzalez led the team in tackles on defense with five. Defensive back Bryan Estrada had four, plus an interception. Haney and defensive back Raymond Fite also had interceptions in the regular season finale.

In the frosh/soph contest, Cordova also won, a 22-0 score over Rosemont. The Lancers finished the season with a 4-1 record in the SVC, 4-6 overall.