On Tuesday night, the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs continued their inevitable march towards the climactic championship game at Clayton Valley High School on Thursday. In the semi-finals, the Acalanes Dons would face off against the unbeaten St. Marys Panthers and their spotless 20-0 record. The game would prove to be the grittiest, most hard fought and most tense game of the entire season.
The first quarter of the game could only be described as disastrous. Acalanes started with the ball and using the legs of sophomore standout Isabelle Agnost and dual threat quarterback Ines Coyne, the offense was able to make measured progress down the field. However, on a first down and 11 at the St. Mary’s 31 yard line, a Panther defender read an option play perfectly and was able to intercept the pitch, killing the drive. Good thing the Dons have an impregnable defense. As if her exploits on offense this year have not been enough, Coyne made a great flag pull on defense to force the Panthers to punt on their first drive. On St. Mary’s second drive of the game, the Panther offense was able to get into rhythm. With a swift and accurate dual threat quarterback of their own, and arguably the most dynamic receiver/runningback the Dons have seen this year, the Panthers put together a convincing drive that ended with a touchdown pass in the left corner of the endzone. The PAT was no good and the score was quickly 6-0 Panthers. The Dons offense continued to be stifled by the Panthers defense. The Panther’s used multiple formations and pressured the Dons from different directions. The Dons were again forced to punt. On St. Mary’s next drive, the offensive precision continued. The Panthers were set up nicely when their swiftest player was able to return the punt all the way to the Dons’ own 30 yard line. The lefty quarterback was very adept at scrambling and throwing short to their lightning fast running back, who coming into the game had over 43 touchdowns on the season. On a first and goal from the six yard line, the Panthers were able to score again, convert the PAT and extend their early lead to 13-0. Midway through the second quarter it looked as if St. Mary’s was going to run the Dons off their own field. Well, life is full of twists and turns and one never knows what unexpected events lie just around the corner.
On the Dons next possession, the offense began to click. Coyne fired a nice pass to Hazel Raaum, for a gain of 8. On a 3rd and 2, the Dons used a hard count to lure the Panthers offsides and pick up the first down. Then, on first and 18 from the Panther 37 yard line, Coyne launched a beautiful, arcing spiral that found the arms of stud wide out, Maya Shoenhair. Shoenhair made the catch in traffic and was wrestled to the ground for the 25 yard gain. On second and goal, Coyne fired another strike to Shoenhair down to the 2. The Dons were knocking on the door. On 3rd and goal from the 2, a Panther defender tackled Agnost on a sweep around the left side and was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It remained third down with the ball now on the 1 yard line. On the next play, QB Coyne did what she has done so many times this year, found the hole in the defense and blasted into the endzone for the touchdown. The lead was cut to 13-6.
With the momentum on their side, the defense picked up right where the offense left off. On the first play of the next drive, super senior Julia Munter sacked the Panthers QB for a loss. The play set the tone for the drive and the Panthers would ultimately punt. The offense continued to look sharp and their head chef Coyne was cookin’. Coyne fired a pass to all-everything standout Avery DeMent for 8. Another pass to senior center Leslie Trowbridge for 6. And in true dramatic fashion, Coyne saved the best for last. On 4th and 9 from around the Panther 35 yard line, Coyne launched another beautiful, arcing spiral deep into the pitch black sky. One can only imagine what the ball must have thought as it reached its zenith, high above the players and the field, and was able to look out at the beautiful green hills of our small town. As the ball began its descent, the uncertain became crystal clear. The pass was perfect. Wide receiver Santana Tamayo leapt in the air and with two strong hands pulled the ball from the night sky. The pass was complete. Touchdown Dons. On St. Mary’s final possession of the half, Prime Time Natal continued to do what prime time players do, make plays. Natal intercepted the Panther QB and the Dons went into the half only down by a point, 13-12. The next 24 minutes of football would determine whose season was over and who would play for all the marbles.
St. Mary’s started with the ball and great flag pulls by DeMent and the ferocious outside linebacker Stella Beuchotte, brought out the Panther punter. The ensuing play from the Acalanes offense was certainly the play of the game and might be the play of the season. After having witnessed Coyne unleash multiple passes for completions deep down the field, the Panther defense was playing noticeably further back, both with their linebackers and their secondary. Big mistake. The center of their defense looked like a race track. Coyne put on her Superwoman cape and went to work. On first down from her own 25 yard line, Coyne ran the option right and unleashed one of the most spectacular plays of the season. Weaving through defenders as if they were standing still, Coyne raced through the heart of the defense, when she reached the secondary she cut to the far sideline, shifted into 5th gear and that was all she wrote. Panther defenders could only watch helplessly as Coyne slipped further and further away into the dark night. 55 yards later, Coyne stood in the endzone surrounded by her jubilant teammates. Coyne then used a shovel pass to convert the PAT and for the first time all game the Dons had the lead, 19-13.
Anyone will tell you that the defense has been the strength of this team all year. Over the next quarter and a half they would prove it. On St. Mary’s next possession, the Panthers embarked on an 11 play drive. Prime Time Natal had a great pass defensed. Beuchotte made diving flag pulls. Yet, time and time again the Panthers were able to convert and continue their march down the field. The drive culminated in a 4th and goal from the 10 yard line for the Panthers. Facing relentless pressure, the Panthers QB threw an incomplete pass. The joy of the stop would prove short lived. The Dons turned the ball over on downs on their own half of the field and before you could blink, St. Marys was right back in scoring position. This time, Munter stormed the backfield for another huge sack. On 4th and six, Coyne made the pull to end the scoring threat. As the clock ticked down in the 4th quarter, the crowd could sense the growing desperation from the Panthers. Time was running out. On St. Marys’ second to last drive, Munter made a great pull for a loss on the standout Panther runningback. On the next play, Beuchotte went horizontal while leaping for the Panther QBs flags for the amazing pull. On 4th down, with the QB again under duress, the pass would again be incomplete. The Dons could could not move the ball and with one minute remaining in the game, the defense would have to make one last stand. The Panthers tried in vain to force the ball down the field but the Don defenders refused to yield. On 4th and 5, the pass fell incomplete and the celebrations began. Final score Dons 19 St. Marys 13. The Dons did not let the Panthers score a single point since halfway through the second quarter.
The win advanced the now 17-2 Dons to the NCS Division 2 championship game where they will face off against #1 ranked and still undefeated Cardinal Newman. The journey that began five months ago, on a hot summer day during the first week of June, will reach its dramatic conclusion on Thursday night, when two titans of the gridiron face off for the NCS championship. The Dons will be ready. FEAR THE BLUE!
