It was simply too much Will Semone for Campolindo to handle, despite quarterback Jacob Westphal and the Cougars’ final gritty effort.
Semone ran for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:44 left in the game, as visiting Oakdale rallied from two different first-half deficits to win, 28-21, in a game between section heavyweights.
Oakdale’s game-winning drive came immediately after Campolindo had tied the game on Jacob Westphal’s 10-yard strike in the front left corner to John Torchio, the second scoring connection between those two in the game. The Mustangs, however, responded by taking nearly eight minutes off the clock on the ensuing 62-yard scoring drive.
From almost the start, the game played out as a battle between two very different opposing forces. Campolindo had its way through the air offensively, as Westphal threw for 334 yards on 21-of-32 passing. In the first half, it appeared Oakdale had no answer for Vincent Mossotti, who had three first-half receptions of 37 yards or longer, including a 38-yard score in the first quarter. He would finish the game with five catches for 144 yards.
As the game wore on, however, the Mustangs’ offensive line and the powerful running of Semone took its toll on the undersized Cougars’ defensive front.
“This was a great team win tonight,” Semone said. “My line did amazing, and our defense did a great job of keeping us in good field position tonight.”
Oakdale’s two second half scoring drives were a thing of beauty – if you like a slow, methodical, punishing style of football. In addition to Semone’s big night, Bronson Harmon ran for a six-yard score near the end of the third quarter to give the Mustangs their first lead of the night, 21-14. He finished the game with nine carries for 64 yards, with 47 of those yards coming in the second half.
The Mustangs defense also came up big in two critical moments. The first moment occurred midway through the third quarter, when Campolindo had driven inside the Oakdale 25-yard line. Westphal’s next pass was tipped, however, and Sean Gingerich came up with a huge interception on the Mustangs’ 15-yard line.
The second stop came on the Cougars’ final possession of the game. Westphal guided Campolindo down to the Oakdale 18-yard line, with a minute remaining, but passes on both third and fourth down fell incomplete, and the Mustangs needed just one first down run from Semone to kill the clock.
Miramonte 35 Alameda 0
The host Matadors led 28-0 at halftime, and cruised to the shutout win over the Hornets.
Just four minutes into the game, senior quarterback Tim Tague hit Nick Foster with a 13-yard touchdown pass, just part of a big night for Foster, who also had punt returns of 65 and 45 yards.
Tague found junior Ethan Fischler for a pair of touchdown passes, late in the first quarter and early in the second quarter, before hitting Toby Barrons with his fourth scoring toss of the night, prior to halftime. Fischler’s second touchdown was set up by a Nolan Brown interception, while Foster’s 45-yard punt return set up the score to Barrons.
“We came out ready to play tonight,” Foster said. “We showed good energy, and I was happy to be a big part of the contribution tonight.”
Foster got on the board one more time, but with a bit of trickery, as Tague handed the ball off to Will Cassriel, who then found Foster for the 30-yard touchdown. The 35-0 lead by the end of the third quarter meant the clock never stopped in the final 12 minutes of the game.
“The receivers ran great routes tonight, and the line was blocking real well,” Tague said. “The defense got us the ball back quickly, and the result was a great team win.”
Monte Vista 59 Dougherty Valley 0
The Mustangs sprinted to a 45-0 halftime lead, while Dougherty Valley is still seeking its first points as a member of the East Bay Athletic League, following shutout losses to Amador Valley and Monte Vista.
Quarterback Jake Haener threw for three first-quarter touchdown passes, two of them to Brad Jacobsen. Shane Perry added a first quarter rushing touchdown, and Isaiah Randle added an interception return, 45 yards for a touchdown, early in the second quarter. A 47-yard field goal by Peyton Henry made it 38-0 before Zane Cribb closed out the first-half scoring with a touchdown reception from sophomore Logan Sumter, as Haener’s night was already complete.
Junior Dusty Parker accounted for both Monte Vista second half scores, with a pair of touchdown runs.
Concord 30 Liberty 8
Quarterback Nick Nunez ran for three short touchdowns, but the Concord defense was the story, as visiting Liberty did not get on the scoreboard until 22 seconds were left in the game, and the outcome was well decided.
The Minutemen led just 8-0 at the half, on a quarterback sneak from Nunez, but extended the lead on another one-yard run, less than three minutes into the third quarter. Mike Davis’ two-yard score made it 22-0 early in the fourth quarter, and Nunez added his third touchdown less than three minutes later to make it 30-0.
Liberty reached the end zone on a four-yard run by Tyrell Sturges-Cofer.
Heritage 35 Edison-Stockton 18
Senior Nick Zell threw for four touchdowns, and ran for a fifth score, as Heritage pulled away from host Edison for the road victory. The win also tied the Patriots for the best start in school history.
Zell’s three-yard scoring run on Heritage’s opening possession, which went 80 yards, was in response to Edison running back the opening kickoff for a score. On the next possession, he connected with Tyrese Mack for an 80-yard touchdown, and a 14-6 lead.
Zell connected again with Tyrese Mack for the next score, this time from 20 yards out, after hitting Tyriq Mack for a 50-yard pass earlier in the same drive, and the Patriots led 21-6. Edison cut the lead to 21-18 in the second half, but Zell’s 10-yard score to Tyriq Mack extended the lead to 10 points, and his 40-yard scoring pass to Josh Wishom completed the points for the night.
Clayton Valley 70 James Logan 8
James Teofilo and Dre White each scored a pair of first-half touchdowns, as the Eagles led 49-0 at halftime over James Logan.
Quarterback Zia Rahmany opened the scoring for Clayton Valley, with his run less than five minutes into the game. Teofilo’s scores made it 21-0 early in the second quarter, White then followed with his two scoring runs, and Adrian Dolo returned an interception for a touchdown. Koti Vaisima finished the first-half scoring.
Junior Alatini, Parker Allen, and Kenny Gardner each added second-half scores for the Eagles.
