A couple of minor upsets headline week 4 action, led by Menlo's first win over rival Menlo-Atherton in nearly a decade. Los Gatos had no trouble with former league mate and Aptos finally picks up a win after losses to three prominent Northern California programs.
No. 20 Menlo 28, No. 10 Menlo-Atherton 13
Menlo defeated rival Menlo-Atherton for the first time since 2014 as Mikey McGrath and Jack Freehill each tossed two touchdown passes in a 28-13 win.
Menlo (4-0) opened the scoring on a 26-yard touchdown pass from McGrath to Nicky Scacco with 4:29 left in the first quarter. Frehill hit Scacco on a 10-yard score midway through the second quarter to make it 14-0 as the Knights would never trail.
"We just got after it today. Coach Tevis always instills in us know what it takes and we had a good five days of practice," said senior Parker Ashton, referring to defensive line coach JH Tevis, a Menlo, Cal and Indiana product. "Being the bigger guys, it's going to start with us, so we just wanted it."
Xander Eschelman accounted for both of the Bears’ touchdowns, hitting James Grey for a 10-yard score in the second quarter and racing 40 yards for a third-quarter touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-13 with 9:15 remaining. But the Knights answered just two minutes later on a 15-yard pass from Freehill to Brady Jung, his second touchdown of the day.
Menlo-Atherton (1-3) hosts Palo Alto Friday night in a non-league matchup; Menlo is off this week and hosts Homestead September 30.
No. 3 Los Gatos 42, No. 21 Palo Alto 0
No. 3 Los Gatos (3-1) justified its lofty ranking as junior Justin Mazzaferro and senior Boxer Kopcsak-Yeung each ran for a pair of scores. The Wildcats raced out to a 35-point halftime lead on the way to a 42-0 rout of former SCVAL rival Palo Alto.
Three Los Gatos quarterbacks combined for just 14 passing attempts, but completed 13 for 189 yards, led by senior AJ Minyard (7-of-7, 113 yards). Palo Alto managed just nine rushing yards and dropped to 2-2.
Los Gatos has a bye before taking on NCS power Pittsburg Sept. 29 in its final non-league tuneup before opening PAL-Bay play on October 6 against Sacred Heart Prep. The Wildcats play their final non-league game Friday night at Menlo-Atherton.
No. 24 Hillsdale 21, No. 12 Sacred Heart Prep 14
Senior QB Erick Waugh threw for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead Hillsdale to a surprising 21-14 win over visiting Sacred Heart Prep. Junior Jack Haywood caught just two passes for 18 yards, but both went for touchdowns as the Fighting Knights rallied to improve to 4-0.
Waugh also ran 10 times for 61 yards and junior Kyle King caught 5 passes for 105 yards. SHP, which dropped to 2-2, is off this week and hosts Burlingame September 29 in its PAL-Bay opener. Hillsdale opens PAL-De Anza action September 28 at home against Half Moon Bay.
No. 8 Aptos 42, No. 25 North Salinas 27
Senior Lawrence Ingram IV ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns and senior Wade Ellis added 51 rushing yards and a score as Aptos won for the first time this season, knocking off North Salinas, 42-27. The Mariners (1-3), who opened the season with losses against Oakdale, Mitty and Mission Prep, rushed for 305 yards as a team.
Senior QB Matt Hood, who scored on a 46-yard run, completed just one pass, but it went for a 52-yard touchdown to senior Jordan Torres. Sophomore QB Kai Ceralde threw three touchdown passes for the Vikings (3-1).
North Salinas visits Soledad next Friday night in its PCAL-Mission South opener while Aptos is off next week before opening PCAL-Gabilan play with a September 29 home game against Alvarez.
