WALNUT CREEK: On a windy night across town, Acalanes showed it can win any way it needs to.

The Dons (5-1), known for living through the air, leaned on the ground game and leaned hard, piling up 182 rushing yards in a 35-10 win over cross-town rival Las Lomas. Junior Joaquin Bordi carried 24 times for 108 yards, notching his first 100-yard game of the season. Senior quarterback Tyler Winkles added a season-high 74 yards on 10 carries while punching in three rushing touchdowns.

Winkles was just as sharp through the air, completing 19 of 27 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Both scores went to senior Finn Rivera, who led all receivers with 9 catches for 92 yards. Senior Jackson Boselli chipped in 5 catches for 44 yards as the Dons rolled up 361 yards of total offense.

But the defense told the story.

Las Lomas struck early, getting a wind-aided 51-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 35-yard touchdown run from its speedy back. After that, the Knights found nothing. The Dons combined for 61 tackles and smothered every drive the rest of the way.

The Dons built a wall, and junior Dax Vail was its cornerstone. Flying sideline to sideline, Vail racked up a game-high 12 tackles and jarred the ball loose for a forced fumble, setting the tone for a unit that refused to bend. Senior Danny Dunne was a force in the trenches, collecting 8 tackles and bursting into the backfield to drop a Knight for a loss. Senior Luke Dafferner was everywhere the ball went, finishing with 7 stops. Junior Mason Andersen brought the thunder with 6 tackles, four of them on his own, while junior Brendan Visnick matched the intensity with 5 takedowns.

Senior Camden Sinha was a menace up front, adding 5 tackles of his own and knifing through the line for a tackle for loss. Junior Owen Blanchard closed lanes with 4 hard-nosed tackles, and junior Max Volpian added 3 more, swarming to the football like the rest of his teammates. Senior Cash Ricker joined the backfield party with a tackle for loss that kept the Knights pinned behind the chains.

And when Las Lomas tried to take to the air, senior Grant Condy was waiting, snaring a timely interception that slammed the door shut on any comeback hopes. It was Condy’s fourth pick of the season, and he continues to climb the ranks of the area’s interception leaders.

The Dons return home next Friday, Oct. 16, to host rival Miramonte at 7 p.m.