In what is shaping up to be an impressive season, the San Lorenzo Valley High School football team added another victory to its resume Saturday afternoon with a 33-8 win over the Scotts Valley High School Falcons in a showdown of league and geographic rivals in Felton.
Few would have likely predicted the final score to be so lopsided at the end of the first half, as stout defense on both sides meant that the Falcons entered the third quarter carrying an 8-6 lead — the result of an 8-yard touchdown by running back Troy Menna, followed by a two-point conversion by running back Tristan Leonetti.
The Cougars, however, had other plans, as they broke through in the second half, scoring four unanswered touchdowns.
“Football is a momentum sport,” said Falcons Head Coach Louie Walters. “We played a great first half … SLV made some great plays in the second half, and my hat’s off to them.”
The Cougars scored twice in the third quarter, first on an 11-yard pass from senior quarterback Isaac Newberry to senior wide receiver Shaden Pias, and on a 61-yard fumble return by senior defensive lineman Jared Trader.
In the fourth quarter, Cougars junior running back Brighton Hart scored on an 85-yard run, to make it 26-8.
Down, but not out of fight, the Falcons attempted to force the issue when receiver Tanner Spence intercepted Newberry’s pass at the Scotts Valley 10-yard line and ran the ball nearly the entire length of the field before the Cougars’ running back Robbie Carling ran him down on SLV’s 8-yard line.
The Cougars’ defense held, however, and Scotts Valley was unable to get the ball across and a field goal attempt went wide.
With the ball back in their hands, the Cougars wasted no time as senior running back Nate Gentry ran 95 yards on the next play to score the final touchdown of the day.
“I felt like we moved the ball really well on them,” Walters said. “Their kids played hard and our kids played hard — it’s a good rivalry between the two valleys.”
SLV Head Coach Dave Poetzinger played down the rivalry aspect of the game, and said that he was pleased with the performance of his team on the field.
“That’s a good football team,” he said of the Falcons. “It’s not about the rivalry … we are competing against us.”
Poetzinger said that he was impressed at the way the Cougars, whose record is now 5-1, and 1-0 in Santa Cruz Coast Athletics League play, have come together as a cohesive unit on the field.
“This was a great game,” he said. “The intensity was there all week in practice.”
Gentry and Hart were right in the middle of the SLV offense, scoring a touchdown apiece. Gentry ended the day with rushing for 189 yards with 12 carries and Hart had 6 carries for 104 yards.
“Nate is a phenomenal athlete,” Poetzinger said. “He did it on both sides of the ball.”
Walters, whose Falcons now have a 1-5 record and a 0-1 record in SCCAL, applauded the Cougars’ hot start to this season.
“It’s good to see them up,” he said. “They’ve had a rough couple of years.”
