In what can best be described as a bitter loss Saturday, Nov. 20, the No. 3-seeded San Lorenzo Valley High football team fell 36-14 in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs to an impressive No. 6-seed Menlo High School.
Though not resentful, the loss was bitter for Cougar faithful. The wind, bitter. The rain, bitter. The hail, bitter. The loss, bitter.
If weather is considered a great equalizer, it was only a half truth at SLV on Saturday. At almost every turn, the weather seemed to thwart the usually potent SLV offense.
The gales and rain came almost on cue to slow the 9-1 Cougars down. Though Menlo (7-3) was playing in the same weather, they seemed almost undaunted by the near monsoon rains.
Knights quarterback Robert Wickers completed 11-of-17 passes for 245 yards. Knights running back Jordan Williams put on a whirling dervish of an exhibition scoring three touchdowns and spinning his way to 175 yards of total offense.
With the win, the Knights will play Sacred Heart Prep in the Division IV semifinals next weekend.
For the Cougars, running back Jonny “Super Duper” Cooper had a huge game for the Cougars, scoring both of the SLV touchdowns and rushing for 117 yards on 12 carries. The junior running back scampered 79 yards on a reverse for an early first-quarter score, and picked off a pass and returned it 40 yards for the Cougars’ final touchdown.
Eight of Newberry’s passes were on target, but the hands trying to catch seemed to be frozen by wind and rain and fell incomplete.
Defensively, the Cougars had a few sacks from Ben Landour, Ian Reavey and Sebastian Tumbale. Russell Parker also forced a pair of fumbles that were recovered by SLV’s Nick Lipperd and Evan Staggs.
Lipperd left the game early after a bone-jarring hit on a kick return, leaving both Lipperd and a Menlo player down for the count.
Nick Gorman led the team with four catches for another 66 yards, but the SLV passing game seemed to struggle under the harsh conditions.
Quarterback Zack Newberry completed 9-of-24 passes for 117 yards with two interceptions.
“These kids fought hard today against a powerful team,” SLV head coach Doug Morris said. “This was just not our day. I can’t tell you how proud I am of our kids though.”
The Cougars capped the season with several milestones and a 9-2 record.
Gorman led the Cougars in receiving with 37 catches for 898 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Newberry went 98-for-196 for 1,708 yards and 22 touchdowns passing.
Lipperd led the Cougars’ running attack this season with 167 carries for 1,112 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Cougars dominated SCCAL, going undefeated in league play, and had a nine-game winning streak stopped by Menlo.
