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The San Lorenzo Valley High Cougars will head into Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play on a high note after they came alive in the second half Saturday, Sept. 24, to beat the Watsonville Wildcatz in their homecoming game, 41-21.
The teams were knotted at 14-all at halftime, but the Cougars found a rhythm on offense and erupted with 27 points in the second half.
Jonny Cooper put the Cougars on the board in the first quarter with a 1-yard dive play, and junior Sid Chi hauled in a beautiful 22-yard grab in the end zone at the end of the second quarter.
In the second half, SLV cashed in on a big defensive play by linebacker Lucky Thomas, who stripped a Wildcatz runner, picked up the fumble and rumbled 33 yards for the touchdown, giving the Cougars a 21-14 lead.
Watsonville answered on the ensuing kickoff with an 84-yard scamper by quarterback Lamaar Cowans, who tied the score back up at 21-all.
Cooper came right back on the next SLV drive with a 41-yard touchdown run of his own. He would finish the day with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
Senior quarterback Tyler Gilbert returned after missing a game due to illness and fired off two big parting shots, throwing fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 46 yards to senior tight end Trace Mesa and 40 yards to junior Lucas Sinnott. Gilbert completed 13 of 20 passes for 266 yards, three touchdowns and an interception on the day.
The Cougars, who had entered the game without a true win, improved to 2-2 in non-league play. The team was awarded a victory on a technicality Sept. 10 after Piedmont High was forced to forfeit its 20-13 win over SLV due to an ineligible player who was suited up illegally.
SLV will host Santa Cruz High at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in their SCCAL opener. Santa Cruz finished the preseason 3-1 and is led by running back Jonah Hodges, who has rushed for 736 yards and nine touchdowns on 79 carries in the preseason.
Sacred Heart 31, Scotts Valley 15
Scotts Valley High felt the sting of defeat from the best as it fell, 31-15, to the defending Division IV Central Coast Section champion, Sacred Heart Prep (4-0).
Nonetheless, the Falcons head into SCCAL play against Soquel High with a 3-1 record.
In the Sept. 23 matchup, the Gators took a commanding lead in the first half, capitalizing on three untimely Falcon turnovers. The Gators returned an early second-quarter fumble 20 yards for a touchdown and scored two more touchdown runs and a field goal in the first half.
Falcon kicker Noah Beito mustered his team’s only first-half points with a second-quarter field goal from 35 yards out.
In the second half, Scotts Valley outscored Sacred Heart 12-7, with touchdowns by sophomore receiver Joe Gillette and senior running back Collin Corbella. It was too little too late, however, as Sacred Heart answered with a 51-yard strike from quarterback Jack Larson to Pat Bruni for the final score.
