SAN JOSE, CA - Senior Mitty quarterback Phillip Tran got into the end zone on third and goal, giving the Monarchs a seven-point lead with just 29 seconds to go, as they held on for the 28-21 win over Oak Grove in the CCS Open 2 quarterfinals. The win also earned redemption for Mitty, which lost in the same round, on the same field, to Oak Grove last season.
“We came out and played with a chip on our shoulder,” Tran said. “We made some mistakes, but when we play as a unit - that’s when we play good football.”
The entire time fans were on the edge of their seat, with both offenses having exciting and game-changing plays. Mitty’s offense, led by Tran, was consistently moving the ball on the ground and completing short passes to gain first downs. Tran went 9-of-13 for 87 yards, including two goal-line keeper touchdowns. His two main senior tailbacks, Zondre Faraj-Washington and do-it-all Austin Kause, both had clutch performances. Zondre had 25 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Kause went for 41 rushing yards on 8 carries and 38 reception yards on 4 catches.
“My boy Zondre was running all over them,” said Kause about his running mate. “Him, and us – we all gave it all we could.”
All together, the fluid Monarch offense was something that was needed in order to overcome a talented Oak Grove squad.
The Eagles themselves had impressive performances on the offensive side of the ball from multiple players as well. Their senior quarterback, Tyler McGovern, completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 225 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target on the night was 5’7” senior wideout Nathaniel William Strong III, who caught four of McGovern’s passes for 149 yards and two huge touchdowns.
Although the team struggled on the ground early in the game, senior running back Deangelo Hester had a huge second half, where he totaled most of his 114 rushing yards.
“We’ve faced some adversity this year and have been making changes even in this game,” said Oak Grove coach Jay Braun. “Some players weren’t ready to go, and we just had to adjust tonight.”
The game was close the entire way, with neither team ever being ahead of the other by more than a touchdown. The first quarter was a defensive battle most of the way, until the Monarchs were finally able to threaten Oak Grove near the red zone. However, Kause would end up fumbling the ball right before the start of the second quarter.
The Eagles were able to secure the first points on the board, after McGovern threw a perfect pass to Strong III up the side of the field and he took it all the way for 72 yards. The extra point was blocked, and they led 6-0. Oak Grove soon got the ball back again, but then Monarch sophomore Joseph Vaughn stepped in front of a McGovern pass. The young two-way star intercepted it, bursting 50 yards deep into Eagle territory before getting tackled at the five-yard line.
Faraj-Washington finished the job by rushing the five yards needed for the touchdown, giving Mitty a 7-6 lead right before halftime.
The second half was where the action, along with nerves, started to kick in. On the opening possession of the third quarter, the Monarchs marched their way for another touchdown, this one being off of a Tran five-yard run. The Eagles answered right back, with McGovern tossing a 36-yard touchdown to senior wideout Michael Bridges III. Heading into the fourth quarter, the score was 14-13 in favor of the visiting Monarchs.
Both teams went back and forth a few times going empty handed, until McGovern unleashed another bomb to Strong III, this one being a 51-yard touchdown pass. Oak Grove converted a two-point conversion attempt, giving them a seven-point lead. Mitty then responded with Zondre having two huge runs back-to-back. One being a 61-yard run, followed by a 13-yard run for the score the next play to cap off the quick drive and tie the game.
Oak Grove was forced to punt the ball in their own territory on the ensuing drive, setting up the Monarchs at the 50-yard line. Mitty used the rest of clock to trudge their way down to set up a 1-yard clutch keeper by Tran with half a minute to go, which pretty much settled the game.
“This season started last season after we walked off this field,” said Mitty coach Keith Burns. “We took a step forward today. This team knows how to prepare, and we’ve learned our lessons.”
With the huge win, the Monarchs move to 6-5 and are set to face Los Gatos (8-3). The second-seeded Wildcats blew out a struggling Palo Alto team, and will be waiting to host the sixth-seeded Monarchs.
Although Oak Grove’s season came to an end, the Eagles won’t be hanging their heads low.
“I’m proud of the seniors, and proud of this group. They’re going to use this as a motivation. They have a lot to hold their heads up about and I’m proud of them,” Braun said.
