SARATOGA, Calif. - After a rough loss to Milpitas last Friday, Saratoga claimed a 44-31 victory Friday night over Palo Alto in its Homecoming Game as the stands filled with students and parents decked out in red, cheering on the football team for its run to an overall record of 4-2.
“It was a good win to have on homecoming,” Saratoga junior linebacker Ryan Caviani said. “It makes the entire week that much better by having a win at the end.”
After senior cornerback Nolan Chao recorded an interception at the 10-yard line with 5:56 left in the 2nd quarter, junior wide receiver Harrison Fong scored the Falcons’ second touchdown and brought the lead up to 13-7.
“My running backs hit their holes the way they wanted to," senior co-captain and quarterback Will Liddle said. "I think all players played well, and I can’t do it without them. I was really proud of my guys for getting out there and really shutting down their offense.”
With Falcons leading 28-7 at halftime, 6-foot-3 junior running back Paul Johnson iii scored a rushing touchdown for the Vikings and brought the score to 35-13 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
After the Vikings scored another touchdown with two minutes left in the game, sophomore running back Wes Walters capped off the win for Milpitas with 50-yard run with 3.7 seconds to spare.
“I was a little bit tired, so that was my last bit of energy,” Walters said.
Sophomore defensive end Seattle Hmelar said that Palo Alto ended it well, but the start was “real sloppy,” and that the Vikings have to “come out strong in the very beginning.”
“We just weren’t making our blocks or making catches," Hmelar said. "We just didn’t bring our best game. We made some mistakes that we could fix, and I think we could beat [Saratoga] next year."
As Saratoga beat Palo Alto, one of the “big 4” in the De Anza division, Saratoga coach Tim Lugo thought that it was a “good win.”
“We’re happy with the win," Lugo said. "We got some young guys in and they made some mistakes, but overall we played pretty well."
Even though the Falcons had “picks and fumbles” along the way, the players believe they have put in their best effort.
“Overall, the hardwork and dedication of the team really showed tonight, and I really appreciate that and all these guys,” Liddle said.
