Beneath the enchanting Harvest Moon, Acalanes High School took on Campo and Miramonte in a doubleheader showdown that was wilder than a rodeo with cheerleaders.
In the early evening, our heroic Dons faced off against the Campolindo Cougars, hoping to make them as confused as a cat in a laser pointer factory. QB Zoya Acuna led the charge, zipping down the field like a kid on a Slip ’N Slide. Kelly Todhunter, Maya Shoenhair, and Addie McShane turned the Cougar defense into Swiss cheese. Todhunter even dashed in for a 15-yard touchdown, while Ella Thomason aced the extra point, making it 7-0 for the Dons.
The Dons Offense was on the move All Night!
The Cougars? They looked like a cat caught in the rain – soggy and miserable. Dakota Goyert swooped in, causing the Cougar QB to throw a Hail Mary interception that Shoenhair turned into a touchdown dance. A missed extra point made it 13-0.
The Cougars were itching for revenge but couldn’t find their way out of Acalanes’ defensive maze. On 3rd and 23, Goyert sacked the QB like she was playing giant Jenga. Then, Todhunter turned into a block ninja, sending the next pass into the bleachers, forcing the Cougars to surrender the ball. Meanwhile, the rest of the defense with Jenna Steele, Alana Brinkman, and Thomason making tackles all over the field to shut down any momentum the Cougars could muster.
Acalanes’ offense was a hot potato machine, Addie Martin even threw a 50-yard pass that felt like it traveled to the moon. Todhunter ran like she’d found a clearance sale, bringing them close to the endzone. Romi Avrahami then pulled off a catch that bounced off a defender and was more acrobatic than a circus clown. The score? 19-0 after a missed extra point.
As the first half ended, Thomason grabbed an interception, making it clear that the Cougars’ hopes were as lost as a pair of socks in a dryer.
Half time brought the traditional dance-off, where the girls looked like they were auditioning for “Dancing with the Endzone Stars.”
The Dons defense came in the second half with intention to keep the game in check. Final score against the team from Moraga was a 26-6 victory for the Dons.
The second game started, and Acalanes had dreams of becoming the Bulls, probably because they wanted horns. The Matadors, still shaking from their Campo defeat, had trouble finding their groove.
The game kicked off like a slow-motion scene from a comedy, with both teams fumbling the ball. Acuna and Thomason finally made progress, moving the ball like it was hot potato hotcake. Then, Todhunter pulled off a flea-flicker for a touchdown, but the extra point had more airtime than a pop star’s high note. It was 6-0.
Dons Huddle before Game 2!
Acalanes’ defense was like a brick wall, Steele and Todhunter guarded their turf like it was the last piece of pizza. The Matadors resorted to short passes, but Acalanes intercepted them like they were love letters from an ex.
Acuna had more time than a sloth on vacation, distributing the ball like a mom dishing out chores. Alana Brinkman threw a pass on a reverse to Shoenhair, who was so wide open she could’ve held a yoga class in the endzone. Monica Dikova joined the party with a 2-point conversion, and it was 14-0.
Acalanes wasn’t finished, and Todhunter sprinted an 85-yard touchdown like she was racing a cheetah with jet boots. The Matadors were running scared, maybe even more scared than a cat at a dog show.
Dikova kept the party going with another touchdown, and the score was 27-0. The Matadors finally woke up and scored, making it 27-7. The Dons defense then slammed the door shut. Maya Rotershteyn made several tackles with authority while Maya Bleich pressured the QB over and over. Kira Chan came in to shut down the Cougars best receiver, and Olivia DeBoy made several plays at CB for the Dons. The Cougars had to punt the ball away again and again.
Shoenhair then made a jaw-dropping 40-yard catch, leaving the home crowd silent while McShane sealed the deal with a rushing touchdown, making it 33-7.
The final whistle marked the end of a night filled with touchdowns and laughter, as the Acalanes girls danced their way to a clean sweep for the night. They continue to have a great season that promises more excitement than a rollercoaster with a clown conductor.
