SAN MATEO, CA - In a game where the expected finish was not going to be close, the Serra Padres extended it past that mark. Right out of the gates, junior Malakai Rango returned Mitty’s opening kick 92 yards all the way to the 2-yard line. This would set up the first touchdown – a 2-yard punch-in by Tevesi Vakalahi – of six on the day for the Padres, en route to a 52-7 first round playoff victory.
Serra finished the regular season undefeated in WCAL play (7-0), and they look to have carried that momentum into Open DII CCS competition with a breeze. The win was a nice reassurance of their ability to start games out strong, and continue their dominance throughout the rest of the contest.
Typical WCAL match-ups offer some of the most nail-biting finishes, but when Serra is on the field, they have flipped the script completely. It comes with having the right mindset, though.
“The reality of the playoffs is that one team moves on and one team doesn’t,” said Padre coach Patrick Walsh. “We just worked on focusing inward and becoming a better team, so we could build on the success of the regular season.”
Leading the Padre offense is junior quarterback Luke Bottari, who has been displaying his versatile and unpredictable pass-and-rush playing style all season long. On the day, Bottari attempted just 10 passes, but completed five of them for 72 yards. On his feet, he had pick-ups of 17 yards and 36 yards that both would set up scores for the Padres. His second-hand man, senior Isiah Kendrick, owns almost the same amount of unpredictability, often times being able to lead Serra in both rushing yards and receiving yards. “We wanted to overachieve,” said Kendrick after the win. “Come playoff time, it’s two new teams on both sides, so anyone can be dangerous.” For this game, Kendrick led Serra rushing with 18 carries for 159 yards, and had only one reception, a 23-yard touchdown catch from senior Patrick Nunn. The second-string quarterback on the Padre offense, Nunn, was put into the game to give Bottari a rest late into the second quarter, where by that time Serra was shutting out Mitty 24-0.
Bottari would start back again in the second half, and finished the game out as well. The leading scorer of the game was fullback Tevesi Vakalahi, who racked up 74 yards on four rushes including two touchdowns. The first of his scores was the opening Padre touchdown, with the second being a 63-yard rush late in the fourth quarter.
As for the Monarchs, their offense took its time to find the light of day. Sophomore Shamir Bey has been steadily finding his form from the quarterback position, and was able to put up 74 yards on 7 of 18 passing. It was a decent stat line for a guy getting hounded by the monstrous defensive line of the Padres all game long.
“I’m really proud of [Bey],” stated Monarch coach Keith Burns on Bey’s play this year. “Sometimes football seasons are the greatest learning lessons you can have in life, and hopefully this one will be for him.”
On the ground, fellow sophomore James Thomas led the charge, with 129 yards on 14 rushes. Thomas also had the only Monarch score of the game, which was a 69-yard burst on the fifth play from scrimmage of the second half to make it a 31-7 game. Although the Monarchs didn’t score again, it was an improvement from the first half, where the offense heavily struggled. In the first two quarters of play, Mitty’s drives amounted to punts four times, with the other two ending with turnover on downs and the clock running out.
Perhaps the most intriguing takeaway from the game is a sad one. Serra superstar offensive lineman Atonio Mafi went down with an apparent Achilles injury just midway through the first quarter, and is potentially out for the season. Standing at 6’3”, 360 lbs, the senior is one of the most important leaders and players for Serra, and the entire Padre football program will definitely feel Mafi’s absence.
“We’re thrilled to have another CCS victory, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t something hanging over the team during the game,” said Coach Walsh on the loss of his start lineman. “He’s one of the best players to play at Serra, and to lose him is very depressing.”
With the win, the Padres will be advancing to the second round of Open DII CCS play. From their first seed, they will be hosting fellow WCAL opponent and fourth-seeded Valley Christian, who routed fifth-seed Oak Grove 36-0 in their first round of action.
The Monarchs’ 2017 campaign is over, finishing with a 5-6 overall record (2-5 in league), yet they won’t be leaving with their heads held low.
“We just wanted to compete. I thought the guys gave everything they had to give,” said Burns. “Serra’s an excellent team.”
