Pitt wears down California with running game
The rain never became anything more severe than a steady downpour during No. 3 Pittsburg's 35-15 victory over visiting California on Friday in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs.
But the electric talents of Pitt running backs Elijah Bow and Jamar Searcy, who combined for 349 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns, were on full display as Bow bolted through tacklers and Searcy flashed across the field.
“Jamar Searcy, he's lightning in a bottle,” Pitt quarterback Marley Alcantara said. “And Elijah, he's him. He's been doing that all year.”
Fifth-seeded California, which got 170 passing yards from Jayden Macedo and a 75yard touchdown reception by Nick Fox, was able to hang with Pittsburg for a half, going into the break trailing just 14-7.
But the Grizzlies were unable to corral the Pirate backfield in a show of force by the home team. In the final 24 minutes. Bow rushed for two touchdowns and Searcy caught a 35yard wheel route out of the end zone to pull away.
“They just wore us down,” Cal High coach Danny Calcagno said. “Their backs are big, and they're physical.”
CCS Division I NO. 4 LOS GATOS 21, NO. 3 ST. IGNATIUS 17 >>
Los Gatos coach Mark Krail certainly isn't averse to going for it on fourth down in certain circumstances.
Los Gatos converted two pivotal fourth-down plays in the second half against host St. Ignatius during the Central Coast Section Division I second-round game Friday. The first produced the eventual game-winning touchdown by Boxer KopcsakYeung in the third quarter; the second was for a key first down as Los Gatos ran out the clock in an eight-minute drive as it beat St. Ignatius.
“Shoot, we're going to play to win,” said Krail about the final fourth-down play, a fake punt for a 25-yard pass from Jaylen Thomas to KopcsakYeung from the Los Gatos 32 with 5 minutes, 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “I didn't want to put that much time on our defense to try to keep them out with one score. We thought we might have it; two big players made a play, Jaylen throwing the ball to Boxer. Those guys have been so good all year long, and it was no different tonight.”
Against St. Ignatius, the first fourth-down play in the second half for Los Gatos was a fouryard touchdown run up the middle by Kopcsak-Yeung to break a 14-14 tie at the 6:31 mark of the third quarter.
“I knew that they were overloading the outside, because they were worried about that sweep, so I was looking for the inside, I saw a little gap,” said KopcsakYeung, who rushed for a gamehigh 162 yards on 24 carries. “All year long we've been a secondhalf team. We never give up. We fight through adversity.”
NCS Division III NO. 1 EL CERRITO 55, NO. 5 HERITAGE 17 >>
Gauchos quarterback Michael Vanhook threw four touchdown passes, three of them to Washington Statebound Kamani Jackson. Heritage (5-7) hung with El Cerrito (11-1) until the third period, but the Gauchos reeled off the last 20 points of the game. In addition to his three touchdown catches, Jackson had a 72-yard pick-six.
CCS Division IV NO. 1 PALO ALTO 45, NO. 5 LEIGH 14 >>
Declan Packer threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another and running backs Jeremiah Madrigal and Isaiah Phillips added a touchdown each as Palo Alto advanced to the Division IV title game with a victory at home over Leigh.