Los Gatos runs away with it
High school football: Wildcats score six first-half touchdowns in 45-0 win over Milpitas.
No. 15 Los Gatos scored six touchdowns in the first half in its 45-0 victory over Milpitas. Running back Adam Garwood got the ball rolling for Los Gatos with an 11-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Garwood would end up scoring two more touchdowns before halftime.
The defense got involved too, earning two first-half safeties and stifling the Milpitas offense. “They take all of the credit and we take none,” said Milpitas coach Kelly King, whose team faces another challenge next week, against No. 16 Wilcox.
Los Gatos is scheduled to visit Santa Clara on Thursday.
— Michael Espinosa
NO. 12 ST. FRANCIS 24, SAN BENITO 19 >> Trying to protect a five-point lead into the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, the St. Francis defense rallied and stopped San Benito on downs to clinch the team’s season-opening victory.
Close throughout, Lancers head coach Greg Calcagno said the Haybalers “gave us everything we could handle.”
A two-pronged running attack controlled the game for the Lancers, led by junior running back and middle linebacker Camilo Arquette and senior running back and defensive back Adonis Hernandez.
“It was fun, but it was the first (game) in 17 months, so we’re all a little rusty,” Calcagno said.
St. Francis aims to improve its record to 2-0 on Friday at 7 p.m. against archrival Bellarmine, which lost its opener Friday at Central Catholic.
— Brendan Cross
South Bay
LELAND 35, LINCOLN-SAN JOSE 14 >> Quarterback Nathan Wright and running back Mark Eby each accounted for three touchdowns to lead Leland past Lincoln in the season opener for both schools.
Wright threw for two TDs and ran for another while Eby rushed for two scores and caught one of the touchdown passes from Wright. Sid Thadani caught the other TD pass from Wright.
Leland led 21-7 at the half and extended the margin to 35-14 after three quarters.
Nick Ames and Jack Ryan had sacks for Leland. The junior defensive linemen give Leland impressive size up front. Ames measures 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and Ryan is 6-3, 240.
Lincoln coach Kevin Collins said just getting on the field to play a game was a win for both schools.
“This is not a normal year,” he said. “The whole perspective is different.”
— Mike Lefkow
LYNBROOK 13, CUPERTINO 7 >>
In a tough defensive battle, Lynbrook prevailed on the road over Cupertino. Cupertino struck first with a touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
A pick-six by Lynbrook junior linebacker Jalen Lakstigala sparked the Vikings to put the team on the board before halftime but his team still trailed 7-6 entering the break after the extra point was not converted.
With Cupertino still holding onto a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Lynbrook senior quarterback Lucas Liang ran the ball into the end zone with less than a minute left on the clock to put Lynbrook up by six.
Cupertino did not have time for a comeback attempt on Saturday but will face Monta Vista next Friday in search of its first win of the season. Lynbrook will travel to Sunnyvale next Friday to take on Fremont.
— Sofia Scekic
PIEDMONT HILLS 27, SANTA TERESA 20 >> Piedmont Hills won a back-and-forth contest against Santa Teresa, which got on the board with a touchdown with three minutes to go in the first half. Roland Legaspi quickly answered for Piedmont Hills with an 89-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game before the break.
The game remained tied until late in the fourth quarter when defensive back Kameron Golbaz returned a fumble 30-yards for a touchdown to seal it.
Piedmont Hills coach Matt Kiesle commended his team after the win.
“Our defense was excellent and kept us in it. Glad to have that first win under our belts,” Kiesle said.
Santa Teresa coach Ajene Palmer remained positive after the loss. “The outcome of the game was not what we wanted but we fought, we played well,” he said.
Palmer will try to lead his squad to victory next Friday when Santa Teresa visits Leland. Piedmont Hills visits Oak Grove next Friday.