The Wildcats came out swinging, clawing and controlling the tempo, feeding off the energy of a home crowd, and jumping out to an early lead. Tough, physical, and relentless from kickoff to final whistle, St. Ignatius College Prep came prepared to defend their home turf. But Acalanes doesn’t play for moments. The Dons play for takeovers.
First Half: Wildcats Strike Early
St. Ignatius capitalized early, using field position and crowd momentum to build a quick lead. The Wildcats’ aggressive play-calling and execution put the Dons on their heels, and midway through the second quarter, the home team led 28–7. Still, Acalanes stayed composed. Quarterback Tyler Winkles found a rhythm late in the half, connecting with senior Josh Elerts for a critical touchdown to close the gap. Santi Vignoles added the PAT, and the Dons entered halftime trailing 14–28 — down, but far from out.
Halftime Reset: Enter the Dons
Whatever was said in the Acalanes locker room at halftime lit a fire. The defense came out swinging, forcing three second-half interceptions. Grant Ricker jumped a route and took it all the way back for a momentum-shifting pick-six. Illias Kaplanes-Jones and Grant Condy each added key interceptions of their own, stalling SI drives and flipping the momentum. Ricker’s pick-six ignited the sideline and, yes, the celebration drew a warning. But the tone had shifted. The Dons weren’t chasing anymore. They were hunting.
Finn Rivera punished the Wildcats on the ground, chewing up clock and finishing drives with power. Winkles and Elerts continued their connection, while receivers Cody Michlitsch and Jackson Boselli stepped up big, running crisp routes and making contested catches to keep drives alive.
The night’s most dramatic sequences was all in the second half Driving to take the lead, the Dons called a shovel pass to sophomore Sean Tandler, a play that had worked earlier. Tandler broke through the line but was met with a big hit at the SI 15-yard line, coughing up the ball.
For a moment, it looked like the Wildcats had recovered until senior Joey Martin came flying into the pile, refusing to give up on the play. He dove into the scrum and somehow emerged with the football. New life.
Next play: a short pass over the middle to Rivera. Nearly a touchdown, but stopped just shy of the goal line. No problem. Winkles lined up, took the snap, and refused to be denied bulldozing through a Wildcat defender and into the end zone. Touchdown, Acalanes. Their first lead of the night: 42–35.
Defense Seals the Deal
With less than two minutes on the clock, SI had one final shot. But it was Grant Condy already with a strong game who made the final statement. His interception at midfield shut the door on any comeback attempt and sealed the win for the Dons.
From the front line to the secondary, the Acalanes defense delivered in the second half. Relentless pressure, swarming tackles, and lockdown coverage turned what started as a high-scoring shootout into a defensive clinic. Possession after possession, SI ran into a wall of blue. And when it mattered most, the Dons’ defense didn’t just respond — they dictated. This was team-first football. Grit, trust, and belief in each other. No finger-pointing, no panic just a group of guys who walked into the city, took everything SI threw at them, and walked out with a win.
Final Score:
Acalanes 42, St. Ignatius 35
On the road. Down early. Under pressure. But the Dons? They didn’t flinch.
Just business. Just Dons.
The Dons continue the Roadtrip on Friday, September 18 @ 7pm as they take on the College Park Falcons
