On a hot October evening, with the temperature a sweltering 86 degrees at kickoff, the Acalanes Dons freshmen football team welcome the Matadors of Granada to Acalanes Stadium. Handshakes are exchanged, a coin is tossed, and the Matadors defer the ball to the second half, giving the Dons the first crack at putting points on the board.
#22 Illias Kaplanes-Jones receives the opening kickoff for the Dons, and with a nifty return sets up the Dons at their own 46-yard line. Quarterback Branson Smith starts the offense off with a nice completion to #6 River Lockwood for a short gain. On an early critical 3rd down, #9 for the Matadors makes a nice play to break up a pass from Miller to Lockwood, forcing an unsuccessful 4th down attempt early in the first quarter.
With the Matadors taking over on downs, the Dons defense makes a big play on first down to force a fumble, recovered by the defense – however, on the Dons’ first play from scrimmage, the Matadors intercept a pass intended for Lockwood, giving the ball right back to the Matadors just past midfield and into Dons territory. On the second play of the Matadors’ drive, #29 Cody Michlitsch makes a great interception to give the Dons another turnover early in the contest, exciting the Dons faithful in the stands.
On first down, #13 Thomas Terhar takes the pitch from Miller and makes a great run around the corner for a 20-yard gain. #22 Kaplanes-Jones takes another pitch from Miller for a big gain on first down, moving the Dons to the Matador’s 32-yard line. With 5:58 left in the first quarter, the Dons score the first touchdown of the game with a nifty inside handoff to #64, Joshua Elerts, punching the ball in from the 9-yard line to make the score 6-0 after a failed 2-point conversion pass attempt from Miller to Lockwood.
On the ensuing kickoff, #24 Santi Vignoles kicks it deep down the middle, with the Matadors setting up a nice return to start their offense on the Dons’ 47-yard line. #23 for the Matadors makes a nice run around the left corner to take the ball all the way to the Dons 18-yard line. On the very next play, the Matadors run around the right side for a touchdown to even the score at 6-6. After a successful extra point, the Matadors take the lead 7-6 with 4:25 left in the first quarter.
The Matadors kick off to the Dons, Lockwood fumbles the ball for a moment and is brought down at the Dons’ 22 to start the next drive. On third down, the Matadors sack Miller in the backfield, setting up a 4th down and long. An incomplete pass to Lockwood turns the ball over to the Matadors on downs, giving Granada great field position early in the game.
On second down for the Matadors, #17 Amin Noroozi makes a big tackle for loss in the backfield to move the Matadors back to the 31-yard line, setting up a third and long. On the following play, the Matadors make a nice run around the left side for a first down.
After consecutive runs to begin the second quarter, #12 for the Matadors score a rushing touchdown up the middle, making the score 14-6 Matadors after a successful extra point kick.
Lockwood receives the Matador kickoff, running around the right side to set up the Dons offense at their own 34-yard line. On third down, #18 Grant Ricker makes a nice catch on a pass from Smith but has the ball lodged free by the Matador defense, the Dons turned the ball over again giving Granada great field position at the Dons 42 yard line.
After a Matadors false start on second down, #17 Amin Noroozi makes another nice defensive stop in the backfield to force the Matadors into a third and long. #76 Santiago Trejo and #64 Joshua Elerts team up to make a great tackle for loss, bringing down the Matador running back in the backfield setting up a critical fourth down early in the game. After a nice pass to the right side, #2 Matthew Schwarz and #17 Amin Noroozi combine to bring down the Matador receiver short of the first down marker, giving the Dons the ball at their own 10-yard line.
On second down for the Dons, Smith throws deep down the middle where Lockwood absolutely Mosses a Matador defender for a 32-yard gain. On a quarterback keeper, Smith makes another great play running the ball all the way to the Matador’s 44-yard line. On the following fourth down, Smith throws incomplete over the middle to #18 Grant Ricker, giving the Matadors the ball at their own 46-yard line.
On second down, the Matadors make a great run around the right side, setting up on the Dons 19 yard line. On the next play, the Matadors score on a pass play across the middle. After a missed extra point, the Matadors extend their lead 20-6 with 1:31 left in the first half.
Lockwood again returns the kickoff around the right side, giving the Dons first down on their own 40-yard line. A quick slant passing play to #47 Isaac Copen, followed by a great run flips the field for the Dons to the Matadors 40 yard line, and a swing pass to #13 Thomas Terhar converts another first down for the Dons. On first down, Smith throws deep to Lockwood up the left side for a nice 35-yard catch and run touchdown for the Dons. An incomplete pass for the 2-point conversion makes the score 20-12 Matadors with 54 seconds left in the first half.
A great kick up the left side by #24 Vignoles, followed by an amazing tackle by #17 Noroozi closing space like a freight train, buries the Matadors deep in their own territory on the 15-yard line. After two unsuccessful run plays, the Matadors let the clock run out on the first half, satisfied with their lead of 20-12.
At the start of the second half, #24 Santi Vignoles kicks off to the Matadors, setting up first down on their own 35 yard line. After a false start on second down, #17 Noroozi makes another nice stop on the left side of the defense setting up a third and long for Granada. On third down, #18 Grant Ricker leaps like a gazelle to block a pass, forcing the Matadors to punt the ball to the Dons. A high snap on fourth down forces the punter to scramble, and two Dons defenders close in quickly to tackle the punter for a loss, giving the Dons great field position on their first possessions of the second half.
On first down, Smith completes a great pass over the middle to Copen, giving the Dons a first down at the Matador 11-yard line, and on the very next play Terhar takes the handoff from Smith and runs around the right side to score the Dons first touchdown of the second half. A successful 2-point conversion pass from Smith to Copen evens the score 20-20 with 7:18 left in the third quarter.
Sensing a momentum shift, the Matadors come out with a head of steam and punish the Dons with consecutive run plays up the middle, successfully moving the ball to midfield. A nice tackle by Copeland forces a critical third down for the Matadors, but on the ensuing play the Matadors quarterback converts a first down around the left side. A long run play up the middle sets up the Matadors at the Dons 29 yard line, with Granada continuing to force their run game on the Dons’ defense. Another long run up the left side, combined with a facemask on the Acalanes’ defense sets up the Matadors with first and goal from the 4-yard line. Running up the middle, the Matadors score their first touchdown of the second half, regaining the lead 27-20 after a successful extra point.
Lockwood receives the Matadors’ kickoff, setting up the Dons’ offense at their own 30-yard line with a run up the right side. A nice third-down completion from Smith to Michlitsch gives the Dons 4th and 5 at their own 35-yard line. The Matadors knock down Smith’s fourth-down pass, giving them great field position after the turnover on downs.
The Matadors continue their brutal ground game, eating up the Dons’ defense while running time off the clock. A timeout with 1:00 left in the third quarter sets up a critical series in which the Dons must make a stop, or risk going down two scores with only one quarter to play. The Matadors close out the third quarter with 3rd and 1 from the Dons 11-yard line leading 27-20.
The fourth quarter opens with the Matadors running around the left side for a touchdown, extending their lead to 34-20 after a successful extra point.
#22 Kaplanes-Jones receives the kickoff, setting up the Dons offense at their own 35-yard line. After a false start on first down, Smith throws deep up the right side to Lockwood for another nice catch for a 20-yard gain. Two short runs and an incomplete pass set up 4th and long for the Dons, and Smith’s deep pass over the middle to Ricker is bobbled and falls to the ground giving the Matadors a turnover on downs.
The Matadors pick up where they left off on offense, completing two long pass plays followed by a run around the right side, further extending their lead to 40-20. After a successful extra point, Granada leads Acalanes 41-20 with 6:56 left in the game.
Lockwood returns the ensuing kickoff for the Dons, and with a Matador facemask sets up the Dons’ offense at the Granada 48-yard line. A nice run up the middle by Joshua Elerts, unfortunately, ends with a fumble and yet another turnover for the Dons. Granada takes over at their own 40-yard line, and with another long run around the right side moves the ball all the way to the Dons 48-yard line. A nice run up the left side for the Matadors ends with an unsportsmanlike penalty on Granada, moving them back to the Dons 35-yard line. On the very next play, the Matadors complete a long pass over the middle and score another touchdown, further extending their lead to 47-20 after a missed extra point.
The following kickoff is caught by Lockwood, and he is immediately brought down by the Matadors with a nice tackle. On a second-down broken play, Smith scrambles to the left side and finds a wide-open Lockwood for a 50-yard touchdown. And after a successful two-point conversion run up the middle by Joshua Elerts, the Dons hang in the game down 47-28.
Vignoles attempts an onside kick for the Dons, but the ball is touched before it crosses the 10-yard mark and the Matadors gain possession at the Dons 48 yard line. Another run up the middle for the Matadors gives them a first down at the Dons 36-yard line. A nice run around the left side for a touchdown is called back for a holding penalty, and the Matadors reset the offense at the Dons 29-yard line. Another long run around the left side gives the Matadors a touchdown with 3:25 left in the game, and after the missed extra point Granada leads Acalanes 53-28.
A touchback on the kickoff sets up the Dons’ offense at their own 20-yard line. Lockwood catches a pass on the left side, suffering an ankle injury during the tackle and bringing out Chris the trainer – Lockwood would not return to the game. Smith runs up the middle for a first down on a critical 4th down conversion and follows that up with a great pass up the right side to Ricker who makes a stellar catch and run for a long gain all the way down to the Matador 3-yard line. After Kaplanes-Jones is stopped on a short run around the left side, Joshua Elerts takes an inside handoff in for a Dons touchdown. A failed two-point conversion brings the score to 53-34 in favor of the Matadors.
After 3 short running plays, the Matadors run out the clock with a 53-34 victory over the Dons.
The Dons competed well and showed signs of an exciting offense and a menacing defense, but the Matadors proved to be too much for the freshmen squad. Congratulations to our boys for continuing to improve throughout the year. Their hard work is paying off with improved football, and they should hold their heads high representing the Dons as classy student-athletes.