On a balmy 103 degree evening in Pleasanton on Thursday, the Amador Valley Dons’ freshman football team completed their two-game sweep of Lamorinda frosh football teams by defeating the Acalanes Dons’ freshman, 56-30. Amador had beaten Campolindo’s freshman at home last week, 21-8
It seemed like the worst of times for the Dons from Pleasant Hill Road in the first half, gifting the ball to Amador Valley five times on turnovers, and another time turning the ball over on downs. These turnovers led to short, and sometimes shorter, touchdown drives by the run-oriented offense of the AV Dons. Halftime couldn’t come quick enough, and with more than several Acalanes players lining up on both sides of the ball, rarely resting on the sidelines, concern mounted that their 34-8 halftime deficit could snowball even more from there.
However, the Acalanes Dons that strapped it on in the second half looked little like the squad in the same jerseys in the first half. Drives that had started on their own 10-yard-line in the first half now started at midfield, thanks to the kickoff returns of Ilias Kaplanes-Jones. Shotgun exchanges from C Joey Martin to QB Branson Smith were now quick, and Martin and his linemates gave Smith just enough time to get the ball out on quick hits to WRs Grant Ricker, Isaac Copen, Gavin Dodge, and Head Coach Bill Hansen beamed as his defense got off the field. A Smith – to Dodge – to RB Deonte Littlejohn 38-yard hook-and-ladder dialed up by Coach Buddy Rowell sparked the momentum change. Bookend DEs Copen and Littlejohn stifled the run game Amador had displayed earlier in the game. With time left in the third quarter, after a 1st, then 2nd, then 3rd effort by bruising tailback Amin Noroozi to convert a 2-point conversion, the deficit had been cut to two scores and it seemed to be a whole new ballgame.
However, the Don’s defense could not quite sustain their resurgence, and the Dons from Pleasanton again found paydirt to pad their lead. Acalanes would not go quietly, and one of a few Dons thought to be knocked down and out, Grant Ricker, got off the canvas and hooked up with Smith for a 53-yard pitch-and-catch to keep it close. Alas, a penalty thwarted an otherwise admirable goal line stand marked by tackles from Noroozi, DB Dodge, DL Liam Crinnion and Littlejohn, and shortly after, the Dons could only manage to turn it over on downs on their last chance with the ball.
Both squads then found valuable repetitions with the season’s first “Fifth Quarter”, each team getting 10 minutes of running clock on offense, with the Amador Valley offensive session being snuffed out at the end by an interception by DB Corbin Gallegos. When all was said and done, Dons from Adam (Tackle Caicedo) to Zawadski (QB and S Wyatt) had made plays.
The second half the Dons put together looked like a very big jump in what is a very steep learning curve at the start of high school football. The Frosh will return to action this Thursday, September 8th at home, hosting Freedom High School.