LOS GATOS, Calif. - For the second straight week, the Los Gatos football team took on an opponent from the BVAL-Mt. Hamilton Division. And despite a stunning start, for the second straight week the Wildcats had no trouble putting on a show.
Despite giving up a touchdown on the very first play from scrimmage, Los Gatos (2-0) exploded for a 56-21 win over Leland in its home opener. The Wildcats were coming off a season-opening 44-0 victory against traditional BVAL power Oak Grove.
Leland (1-1) stunned the home crowd by scoring on an 80-yard flea flicker on the first play of its first drive. Quarterback Carson Yates connected with Corbin Yates on a 10-yard hook and he subsequently pitched the ball to Noor Haroon, who did the rest. The PAT was blocked, but the Chargers had a 6-0 lead just 21 seconds into the game.
But the Wildcats didn't panic, scoring the next 21 points to end the first quarter with a 21-6 advantage. Quarterback Yost Girvan was instrumental in the outburst, throwing a pair of touchdown passes.
"My line did a really good job at protecting me,” said Girvan. “The pass plays just kept working, so we just passed all over them.”
Girvan connected with Gian Lagemann for a 15-yard score to give the Wildcats their first lead at 7-6. Then after a Will Scweitzer interception set the Wildcats up at the Leland 25, Girvan quickly found Dillon Whitfield in the end zone for a 25-yard passing touchdown. With another PAT by Ty Goldsbury, the Wildcats increased their lead to 14-6 with 5:25 left in the first.
"Every drive we just went down the field and attacked them first,” said Whitfield, who also caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Girvan in the third quarter.
Later in the first quarter, Los Gatos scored again with a 20-yard rush up the middle from Jaden Mazzaferro to increase the lead to 21-6. Girvan scored on a 33-yard run to give the Wildcats a 28-6 heading into the break.
Los Gatos concluded its scoring with touchdown runs from Adam Garwood (four yards), Carson Gardner (42) - on a reverse - and Kyle Pinkham (70).
“We‘ve got to be able to run the ball,” said Leland head coach Kelly King Jr. “They stuffed our run, we need to control the line of scrimmage.”
Next Friday, Los Gatos will face off against San Benito (1-1) at home again, and Leland will host Wilcox (1-1).
