Palo Alto takes CCS Div. IV title
There was no hesitation on the Mountain View sideline.
After nearly four quarters of back-and-forth football for the Central Coast Section Division IV championship on Saturday, Mountain View coach Tim Lugo sent his offense back onto the field for a two-point conversion attempt that would give his team the lead with 42 seconds left.
But Palo Alto was up for the moment.
The Vikings made the stop, recovered an onside kick and celebrated a second consecutive section championship, 34-33, a result that had participants on both sides marveling about what had just unfolded at San Jose City College.
“This was probably one of the greatest games ever,” Palo Alto offensive star Jason Auzenne said. “It will stick with me for a long time.”
The victory gave Palo Alto (8-5) a spot in a NorCal regional Friday against St. Vincent de Paul (11-2).
Mountain View's season, which began with the stunning death of a team mother and included a winless run through one of the section's strongest leagues, is over.
“Hats off to Mountain View,” Palo Alto coach David DeGeronimo said. “They played one hell of a ballgame.”
Mountain View (6-7) cut the margin to one point when Arturo Hernandez scored from the 1 with 42 seconds on the clock, the running back's third touchdown of the game.
During the timeout, Mountain View players huddled and were given a play they hoped would extend their season at least one more game.
“We talked about that all week,” Lugo said. “Somebody brought that up in our goal-line period Thursday. `Coach, if we get down here, we're going for the win.' There was no doubt. We're not built to win a game in overtime anyway with our style of offense. We were going for the win.”
Viliami Sekona took a toss to the right side, a play designed for the running back to throw a pass to the corner of the end zone. But Palo Alto linebacker Anthony Landa Mendoza put pressure on Sekona, preventing the pass, and others on the defense swarmed in for the tackle.
“Tony, who has been doing it all year for us, pushed him deep and they cleaned up behind,” DeGeronimo said. “It was just a tremendous play.”
Palo Alto, which had trailed 2013 entering the fourth quarter, took the lead at 27-20 on a pair of touchdowns from Auzenne, the last a short pass that he turned into a 74-yard score.
Mountain View answered with a big-time play of its own.
On fourth-and-4 from its 35 with 6:13 to play, the Spartans gave the ball to Sekona on a jet sweep option play. On this one, the running back got the pass off, throwing deep to Lex Silver. The receiver caught the pass and went the distance, the 65yard strike evening the score 27-27 with 6:02 left.
Four plays from scrimmage later, Jeremiah Madrigal scored on a 39yard run to put Palo Alto back in front, 34-27.
“All game it had been a struggle with the run game, especially me,” Madrigal said. “I felt like I was out of it. That one single touchdown to win the game meant everything to me.”
Back came Mountain View again. A 65-yard drive that ended with Hernandez plowing across the goal line set up the two-point try.
“I was sitting on that sideline right there because I am not on defense,” Auzenne said. “I was praying. Praying, praying, praying. Please don't let them get this.”
Auzenne finished with seven receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on a 35yard pass play in the first half. Madrigal added 84 yards in 15 carries.
Hernandez led Mountain View with 147 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries.
“It was a great game,” Lugo said. “But I'll tell you what, I've got the best group to coach. The most resilient group of kids you ever want around you. They've had to grind and scratch and claw for everything they've earned this year. They were OK doing that.”