SAN MATEO, Calif. — Carlmont felt it had something to prove.
The Scots finished 4-1 in PAL Lake Division play in 2017, one game behind league champion Jefferson. San Mateo finished tied for third at 2-3, but it was the Bearcats who moved up to the Ocean Division this season.
The realignment decision was made with input from both coaches, but that didn’t mean Carlmont wasn’t motivated to beat San Mateo this year.
The Scots did just that, scoring a touchdown in each quarter and using a strong defensive effort to down the Bearcats, 28-7.
“We got healthier this week, so I thought we’d be able to do some good things,” Carlmont coach Jake Messina said. “They overplayed between the tackles and gave us some things to the outside, so we just kept taking it.”
The turning point of the game came early in the second quarter and Carlmont (2-2) holding a 7-0 lead. San Mateo (1-3) had moved the ball inside the Scots’ 30, but a penalty pushed the Bearcats back and eventually they turned it over on downs. On the next play, Julian Morin broke free for a 66-yard touchdown and Carlmont doubled its lead.
“Without my line blocking, I wouldn’t be able to do that,” Morin said. “Everyone stepping up together and making that happen and me scoring was the turning point. After that we picked it up and kept it going.”
The Scots struck first on the game’s opening possession. They moved 72 yards in just five plays, all on the ground. Jayden Kuhn scored on a reverse from 26 yards out to give Carlmont the early lead.
Neither team threatened much the rest of the first half outside of Morin’s long run. After San Mateo punted on its opening drive of the second half, the Scots put together their most impressive drive of the night. Carlmont used over six minutes to drive 75 yards down the field, with quarterback Siupeli Netane scoring on a sneak from a yard out.
After the Bearcats turned it over on downs for the third time, the Scots struck quickly for their fourth touchdown. Netane hit Jonaven Kuhn for a 24-yard pass to the front right corner of the end zone to make it 28-0 and end any thought of a San Mateo comeback.
The Bearcats did get on the board on their next possession, but took over seven minutes in doing so and did not get the ball back afterward. On fourth and long, quarterback Luke Bergstrom hit Michael Vendel on a timing pattern for a 25-yard score, but San Mateo failed to recover its onside kick. Carlmont ran out the clock from there.
Morin led Carlmont with 176 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries. Jonaven Kuhn added 110 rushing yards on just nine carries, plus a touchdown reception.
“Going into the bye, this is really good,” Messina said. “Getting healthy and feeling good really helps.”
Following a bye next week, Carlmont opens Lake Division play by hosting El Camino on September 28. San Mateo travels to Sacred Heart Prep next Saturday, September 22.
