Padres win first outright WCAL title in 48 years
MOUNTAIN VIEW >> His team’s three-touchdown lead gone and just under nine minutes to go Friday night, Serra coach Patrick Walsh had a soothing message for his players:
Stay calm.
“I pulled the team up and said, ‘Hey, it’s 0-0. What’s the big deal?” Walsh said. “It was no time to panic. There was still a lot of time left. We just kind of hit the reset button.”
Serra responded with two backbreaking pass plays — one to set up a go-ahead field goal, the other for a touchdown that iced the game — as the Padres claimed their first outright West Catholic Athletic League championship in 48 years with a 31-21 victory over St. Francis.
Had St. Francis won, the Lancers, Serra and Valley Christian would have shared the championship, just as they did last season.
“It’s special,” Walsh said of the accomplishment. “It’s special, and that doesn’t take away from all the other Padres teams who have a banner in the rafter. No way. We have overcome a lot of misery at this program, a lot of misery. There is still work to be done. But tonight it’s great to be a Serra Padre.”
St. Francis (7-3, 5-2) tied the score on an 8-yard run by Darrell Page and a two-point conversion pass from Reed Vettel to Joshua Pakola, who made the catch among of sea of defenders in the back of the end zone.
The play had St. Francis players celebrating up and down the team’s sideline and the student section roaring as the band played the school fight song.
But two plays into Serra’s next series, Luke Bottari spotted Isiah Kendrick wide open in the middle of the field. Kendrick made the reception and weaved his way to the St. Francis 14 for a 65-yard gain.
“I knew that play was going to come soon,” Bottari said, noting that offensive coordinator Steven Lo was saving it the entire game. “I knew Isiah was going to catch it. It was a big play.”
Damon Lewis’ 34-yard field goal reclaimed the advantage for Serra, 24-21.
Serra (8-2, 7-0) then forced a punt with about four minutes left. On the next play, Bottari threw a sideline pass to Chris Park, and the receiver broke free for a 68-yard touchdown play that widened the lead to 31-21.
“Chris Park had such an amazing night on both sides of the ball,” Walsh said. “He had two touchdowns, an interception. He’s a hell of a player. We’re lucky to have him.”
The way the game began, it looked like a mismatch. The Padres needed fewer than 13 minutes to reach the end zone three times.
They went 80 yards on their first series, capped by Kendrick’s 3-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
Park’s 69-yard touchdown pass from Bottari widened the lead to 14-0, and Bottari’s 8-yard pass to Patrick Nunn made it 21-0 with 11:14 left in the second quarter. Bottari threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns.