Saturday was hard hitting smashmouth old school football versus a big and aggressive Monte Vista Mustang team from the ultra-competitive EBAL. Ultimately though, the Dons emerged victorious with a convincing 28-7 win.

With plenty of big hits on both sides, the story of the game was the Don’s dominating defense effectively pitching a shut-out, with the Mustangs only score coming on a long fumble return in the fourth quarter. Defensive standouts include Ben Foox (3 sacks), Marcus Julian (1 sack), Tyler Worthington, Nathan Bennett, George Churchill, Miller Smith and Coco Gannon. In addition to stuffing the ground game, DBs Ellis Burger, Mason Michlitsch, Max Thomas and Andrew Habas, shut down the vertical pass, with the only “completion” actually a drop that was incorrectly called a catch and fumble.

The Dons started off a bit slow, not surprising since it was the first game of the season. After a 3 and out, Kyle Bielawski hit big on his first punt with a 35-yard boot to push the Mustangs back to their side of the field. Monte Vista was able to mount a drive into Don’s territory, but a Ben Foox sack on 4^th and 2, gave the ball back to the Dons. With no scoring in the first quarter, the Dons mounted their first scoring drive in the second. Kyle completed a clutch first down on 3^rd and four to Trevor Rogers, who made a shoe top catch, and then completed the drive with a scramble up the middle for the first TD of the season. The Don’s vaunted “heavy” line-up came in to clear out the right side for Toby Schwing to muscle into the end zone to notch the two-point conversion and make the lead 8-0. The aforementioned dominant D shut down the Mustangs finishing with a Marcus Julian sack on 3^rd and long, and that completed the scoring for the half.

In the second half the Dons came out strong. Another Foox sack got the ball back to the Dons offense and Bielawski wasted no time in finding wideout Andrew Habas for a long completion down the middle of the field. After another beautiful connection to Ethan Torres on a long out to the far side of the field brought Acalanes to the 1-yard line, the Dons called on the “heavy” hammer once again and Toby notched the second TD of the day. Andrew Huchingson hit the XP and the score was Dons 15, Monte Vista 0.

Huchingson’s leg showed no signs of fatigue on the kick-off as he hit a booming shot that forced the Mustangs to take a knee for a touch back. Backed up on their own 20, a third Foox sack forced Monte Vista to give the ball back to the Dons. Now the Dons “O” started to wear down the opposing defense as QB keepers by Kyle, and counter runs by Toby up the middle started to rack up chunks of yardage and knock Mustang defenders back on their heels.

A Kyle ramble down to the 5, preceded an unguardable quick out to Trevor Rogers for the Don’s third TD of the day. The following PAT was blocked, and the score remained 21-0 with the Dons in the lead

After Huchingson once again pinned Monte Vista back to its own 20-yard line, the D in the Dons Defense closed the vise. LB George Churchill stepped up to deny the dive on 1st down, DE Tyler Worthington smashed into the backfield for a big tackle on 2nd, and then NT Marcus Julian finished off the Mustangs on 3^rd down, wrapping up the RB short of the marker.

Now the Monte Vista defense was out of gas and the Dons were cooking.  Kyle rolled right and found Habas for a 20-yard gain. A middle screen to Jake Takeuchi (in his first action since returning from a back injury), had him weaving and spinning his way down to the ten. From there Kyle lofted a beautiful pass to Trevor for the Don’s fourth TD of the day.

Huchingson nailed the extra point to complete the drive, making the score 28-0 Acalanes. Huchingson then relieved Bielawski at QB and drove the Dons down the field as time wound down in the 4^th. A dubious no TD call on an Habas pylon dive was the last active play before the Dons knelt down to run out the clock, final score Dons 28, Mustangs 7.

A big win versus a tough opponent from Danville has the Dons rolling. Next week we start league play versus another tough opponent, the Knights of Las Lomas. Rest up Dons, it’s going to be another barnburner of a game!