Premature celebration costs Berean Christian
Northgate-Walnut Creek senior linebacker Gavin West saw the Berean Christian-Walnut Creek player drop the ball, throw his hands in the air and run toward his teammates in celebration.
With perhaps nearly the entire 25-man Eagles roster celebrating what it believed to be a game-winning blocked field goal on the game’s final play, West picked up the ball hesitantly and then jogged 32 yards into the end zone. He gave an expectant look at the official, who after a brief conference with his colleagues, signaled touchdown and gave the host Broncos a thrilling 19-14 Diablo Athletic League-Foothill Conference win.
“At first I was a little disappointed that we’d lost the game on the block,” West said. “But it was a heads-up play by all of us, because my teammates kept blocking. As soon as he dropped it, I knew it was a live ball.”
West’s improbable gamewinning fumble return capped an 80-yard scoring drive over the final 4 minutes, 21 seconds. The Broncos (6-2, 2-1) converted two fourth-down plays on the drive and lined up for a 27-yard field-goal attempt by German Acosta with four seconds remaining. Berean Christian’s Mitch McQueen got the initial block before a teammate scooped it up and ran approximately 4 to 5 yards before dropping it in celebration.
“We heard the referees blow the whistle and celebrated,” Berean Christian coach James Hodgins said. “They fought their hearts out and deserved to win, but not to take anything away from Northgate, they fought their hearts out too.”
Berean Christian (5-3, 2-1) trailed 13-7 at halftime and took the lead on a 6-yard pass from Chandler Davis to Isaiah Hodgins midway through the third quarter. The heavily recruited receiver had just three catches on the night as he was playing through a high ankle sprain. #1 De La Salle 31, #8 California-San Ramon 9: Kairee Robinson came back from a one-week absence due to back spasms to rush for 242 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the visiting Spartans (7-1) to the nonleague win over the Grizzlies (6-2). California’s defense was terrific in the first half, holding De La Salle to one touchdown — a 1-yard run by Robinson. The Grizzlies had a good drive to end the half, but De La Salle forced them to settle for Justin Lego’s 21-yard field goal and it was 7-3 at the half. Robinson and the Spartans’ running game took over in the second half, scoring three more touchdowns and adding a 42-yard field goal from Brandon Walsh. #10 Campolindo-Moraga 38, #15
Concord 0: Quarterback Jacob Westphal threw for 370 yards and two scores, and Shun Ishida ran for a touchdown and caught another one as the host Cougars ( 6-2, 3-0) stayed perfect in the Diablo Athletic League-Valley Conference). Westphal completed 21 of 29 passes, and seven receivers caught passes for Campolindo. Justin Ehrenberger, John Torchio and Brandon Bocobo also scored TDs. Mike Davis rushed for 131 yards for the Minutemen (5-3, 1-2), 60 of them on his team’s final drive. Menlo School-Atherton 29, Sequoia-Redwood City 14: Hayden Pegley completed 13 of 24 passes for 163 yards and two TDs as host Menlo (7-1, 3-1 Peninsula Athletic League’s Ocean Division) raced to a 29-0 lead and held on for a win over Sequoia to tighten its hold on second place. JH Tevis had two sacks and Xavier Dickinson intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble for Menlo’s defense. Sequoia (3-5, 2-2) scored on a 12-yard pass from Nick DeMarco to Jackson Hohe and a 1-yard plunge by Dezmond Frazier.
Los Gatos 35, Palo Alto 6: The Wildcats cruised to a road win to stay atop the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division as QB Kyle Reid (9-for-13, 165 yards, two TDs) had a stellar night with the help of his favorite target, Jake Tonges (five catches, 120 yards, one TD). While Los Gatos (5-3, 4-0) employed a full committee of running backs, Will Fordyce (14 carries, 94 yards, one TD) led the pack. Palo Alto (3-6, 2-3) got a touchdown with 32 seconds remaining from Sione Latu (eight carries, 58 yards), and junior running back Paul Jackson III (19 carries, 119 yards) had another big night. #12 Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa 51, Windsor 14: Host Cardinal Newman (7-1, 5-0 North Bay League) led only 17-14 in the late second quarter but scored twice in the final minute to take a 30-14 halftime lead before coasting home against Windsor (5-3, 2-3). Jordan Brookshire passed for 154 yards and two TDs, and rushed for 146 yards and two more scores.