For the second week in a row, the Scotts Valley High football team built a significantly large lead in the first half only to watch it diminish into a loss.
The Falcons fell to Stevenson School, 27-17, in nonleague play at Harbor High School on Sept. 12. With the loss, they dropped to a 1-2 overall record this season.
“A tough one for us,” Scotts Valley head coach Louie Walters said. “It wasn’t because of a lack of effort. We’re just so green, we’re young. It’s a young football team as far as experience, as far as youth.”
Walters has had three sophomores in the starting lineup in order to fill in vacant positions on the depth chart during the 2026 fall campaign. He said that inexperience can lead to mistakes on the field, yet he believes the players will learn from it.
“We’re better this week than we were last week, and we just need to learn to finish games,” Walters said. “I think once we get that success, it’ll plateau us up.”
Scotts Valley’s offense turned the ball over three times that resulted in 14 points for the Pirates, who scored 27 unanswered en route to their second straight victory this season.
“We’ve just got to cut down on that and protect the ball,” Walters said. “I’ll take the blame for it. It’s on me as the coach, and we’ll just do a better job as coaches to them better for next week.”
Stevenson junior quarterback Lincoln Clymo accounted for four touchdowns, two passing and two rushing, including a 21-yard strike to senior wide receiver Alex Mims in the back of the end zone just before halftime.
Coming out of the break, Clymo marched the Pirates down the field in what he thought was the momentum-changing moment for them. He capped off one drive with a rushing TD from 1-yard out, and then added a 16-yard rushing score for six later in the third quarter.
Stevenson’s defense helped set up the scoring drive that put them ahead for good when sophomore defensive back Luke Potter recorded his second interception of the season.
“That really gave us the momentum, and right after that the defense came out,” Clymo said. “I think also just on that touchdown at the end of the half, having faith in my guy Alex [Mims], just giving it up to him. We got a couple of seconds left in the half, might as well just give him a chance.”
Scotts Valley senior quarterback Bryce McDonnell found a connection with senior wide receiver Monte Jordan throughout the evening.
The two hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes that put them ahead 17-0 midway in the second quarter.
Jordan hauled in eight receptions for 116 yards and two TDs, while McDonnell completed 11 of 27 pass attempts for 160 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Falcons defense also came through with a turnover in the second when senior linebacker Jake Locatelli intercepted a tipped pass deep in their own territory.
With all the momentum on its side, Scotts Valley was attempting to orchestrate another scoring drive before the break. Instead, they turned the ball over when Jordan fumbled on the Falcon 32-yard line.
Moments later, Clymo found Mims for a touchdown with one second remaining in the second quarter, and they never looked back.
Apart from the offensive production, the Pirate defense led by senior defensive end Cody Thacher played lights-out in the second half. He finished with two tackles and one sack.
“[Thacher] gave us a matchup problem,” Walters said. “He’s a big and good football player, and we just had a hard time handling him in the second half.”
Scotts Valley will have a shorter week than usual to prepare for a trip to Pacific Grove High in the teams’ final nonleague game of the regular season Friday at 7:30pm.
King City 28, at San Lorenzo Valley 13: Senior running back Justin Griffis tallied 75 yards rushing and one touchdown in the Cougars’ loss to the Mustangs in nonleague play Sept. 12.
Teammate senior quarterback Brayden Scoma tossed for 100 yards, while senior wide receiver Landon Pifer had a team-best 57 yards receiving on three receptions.
Jackson Bates, Jackson Patton and Gabe Attia each recorded seven tackles for SLV, which dropped to an 0-3 overall record this season.
King City senior running back Carson Tidwell finished with a game-best 296 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 23 carries. Teammate quarterback Rocky Vasquez tossed for 102 yards and one touchdown, while JC Navarro hauled in six receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Next up, SLV (0-3) plays at North Monterey County (1-2) in the teams’ final nonleague game of the regular season Friday at 7:30pm.
Boys cross country
SLV, SV compete at Jackie Henderson Invitational: SLV senior Jonathan Santi had a top 25 finish at the Jackie Henderson Memorial Invitational hosted by North Monterey County High on Sept. 12.
Santi placed 23rd in 15 minutes, 58.89 seconds on the three-mile course, while teammate senior Max Saslawsky (19:55.12) took 170th.
Scotts Valley senior Jackson Stull (16:10.16) placed 34th, followed by teammates sophomore Tyler Shambaugh (18:21.79; 129th), senior Joshua Adams (18:21.88; 130th), senior Rylan Staley (21:33.61; 186th), junior Joseph Palascak (22:25.16; 188th) and junior Alex Garcia (23:07.45; 190th).
Girls cross country
SV’s Shehorn wins Jackie Henderson Invitational: Scotts Valley senior Hanna Shehorn won the Jackie Henderson Memorial Invitational hosted by North Monterey County High on Sept. 12.
Shehorn crossed the finish line first in 16:54.96, while her twin sister Hailey Shehorn took 13th in 18:19.50 and teammate junior Stella Sutcliffe placed 28th in 19:18.27.
SLV seniors Beth Gabrielson (21:52.12) and Stella Gerlach (21:57.81) finished 76th and 79th, respectively.
Scotts Valley sophomore Linnea Hannaleck (23:16.77) placed 100th, while teammate junior Alisa Davidson (29:44.65) finished 147th.
Girls volleyball
At SLV 3, Mount Madonna 0: Eliana Lewis collected six aces for the Cougars as they defeated the Hawks in three sets 25-23, 25-13, 25-18 in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Sept. 10.
Teammate Sequoia Standridge added three aces for SLV (1-5, 1-1), which plays at Aptos in SCCAL play Sept. 22 at 6:30pm.
Harbor 3, at Scotts Valley 0: Ava Dumesny tallied a team-best 18 assists for the Falcons in defeat against the Pirates in three sets 25-11, 25-18, 25-22 in SCCAL play Sept. 10.
Teammates Zoe Norris and Riley Kilpatrick each had six kills, while Dylan Wing added seven kills.
Next up, Scotts Valley (4-6, 0-2) hosts Mount Madonna School in SCCAL play Sept. 22 at 6:30pm.
