In certainly the muddiest game of the season, the San Lorenzo Valley High football team defeated valley rival Scotts Valley High, 23-7, last Saturday, Oct. 30. The win gave the undefeated Cougars sole possession of first place in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League with two games remaining, against Santa Cruz High and Harbor High, the SCCAL bottom feeders.
In Saturday’s game, Scotts Valley scored first after a punt from Nick Gorman bounced off a lineman’s back and into the end zone, where Falcon Ryan Wortman jumped on it for a touchdown.
However, the Cougars bounced right back at the end of the first quarter as quarterback Zach Newberry scampered 35 yards for a touchdown as time expired.
Kicker James Connelly nailed a 22-yard field goal shortly before the half, giving the Cougars the 10-7 lead.
In the second half, Nick Lipperd intercepted throws by Scotts Valley quarterback Alex Howard twice, and Gorman had a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown. On an ensuing third-quarter drive, Gorman caught a 9-yard touchdown catch from Newberry.
Tre Braquet had an interception for the Falcons, and Stefan Galewski had two sacks.
Scotts Valley hosts St. Francis at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, under the lights, and SLV hosts Santa Cruz at 2 p.m. Nov. 6.
SCCAL standings
San Lorenzo Valley 4-0 (7-1 overall)
Aptos 2-1-1 (4-3-1)
Scotts Valley 2-1-1 (2-5-1)
St. Francis 2-1-1 (3-4-1)
Soquel 2-2-1 (2-6-1)
Santa Cruz 1-3 (3-4-1)
Harbor 0-5 (1-8)
