Tam's gridiron triumph highlights action
The MCAL football season kicked off this past week, highlighted by a clash between the fourth- and fifth-place teams from last year in Tam and San Rafael, respectively.
Tam — 14-12 winners last season at San Rafael — was the host this time around and left no doubt, cruising to a 49-0 victory.
DAVID ANDERSON AND BRADEN YOUNG, TAM FOOTBALL >> Anderson, a defensive lineman, was front and center in the Red-tailed Hawks' shutout victory against San Rafael on Saturday. Anderson had five sacks in the game, forcing a fumble on one of them that he returned 50 yards for a touchdown. Young paced the Red-tailed Hawks offensively, completing 20 of 30 passes for 287 yards and hitting four different receivers — Octavien Green, Andrew Gordon, Jake Son and Reed Edwards — for touchdowns.
BLAKE HART, SAN MARIN FOOTBALL >> Hart caught a long touchdown from Dominic Ingrassia then another long score from Daniel Rolovich to lead the way for San Marin in a 49-7 home win against Archie Williams on Friday night. All told, Hart hauled in seven passes for 143 yards and those two scores.
LAUREN DIGNAN, BRANSON GIRLS VOLLEYBALL >> The Bulls' libero was in fine form all week, helping lift Branson to a big league win over Marin Catholic and a 7-1 showing and a ninthplace finish at the prestigious Durango Fall Classic
in Las Vegas. Dignan piled up 18 digs in three sets in a huge win against Archbishop Mitty then had 16 digs in a two-setter against Lone Peak in the Silver Division championship game.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL >> San Marin secured its second league win of the early season with a four-set victory against Terra Linda on Friday night. Nottingham, a freshman, was the team's kill leader with 13 and chipped in with four aces. Johnk had four kills but
her big contribution was her seven aces — including five in a row to push San Marin's lead to 23-15 in the fourth set. GREER ARTHUR, MARIN CATHOLIC FOOTBALL >> MC's top receiver only touched the ball four times on Saturday but he made the most of them, scoring three of Marin Catholic's seven touchdowns in a 52-0 romp over Bishop O'Dowd. Arthur hauled in four passes for 105 yards with his biggest play coming on a 54yard touchdown pass from Caedon Afsharipour.
DOMINIC SCAFANI, NOVATO FOOTBALL >> The Hornets quarterback produced his best rushing game of the season in a 32-0 win against Richmond. Scafani accounted for 237 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, adding a fourth touchdown on a pass to Cal Sarrow to cap the scoring.
REED HANNA, TAM BOYS WATER POLO >> Hanna scored 17 times in four games as the Red-tailed Hawks took second place at the Vintage Valley Tournament this weekend. Tam won its first three games and took Monte Vista to overtime in the title game, eventually falling 10-9. Hanna saved his best game for the final, scoring six times and coming up with four steals against Monte Vista.
GABBY REICHLEY, MARIN ACADEMY GIRLS WATER POLO >> Reichley came up big, scoring all five of her goals in the second half as the Wildcats stayed unbeaten in MCAL play with a 12-6 win over Marin Catholic on Thursday. MA also had a strong showing with a 3-1 record at the Menlo School tournament.