The Dons were back at home this past week, cruising to a win over the Concord Bears and outlasting the Alhambra Bulldogs. Powered by an ironclad defense and an explosive, high-speed offense, the Dons secured the two home victories. Here’s how the action unfolded.
Concord:
The Dons wasted no time during their first possession of the game. A quick pass from quarterback Grace Natal to Daphne Hwang and subsequent 35 yard run resulted in the first score of the game 6-0. Dons would subsequently score on both their 2nd and 3rd drives of the first half. A 26 yard run by Margaret Stirling followed up a short pass and run by Ximena Espinosa would have the Dons leading 19-0 by the end of the first half.
The offensive barrage continued in the second half. Emi Tippett torched the field on a reverse play for a lightning-fast 66-yard touchdown. Maria Sakaguti punched in a 15-yard score, and Espinosa capped off the onslaught with another touchdown sprint.
Concord’s offense struggled under relentless defensive pressure. Ivana Adolphson spearheaded the charge with 4 flag pulls, supported by Norah Taylor (3 pulls, 2 sacks) and Daphne Hwang (3 pulls), and Kaylee Clayton’s continual pressure on the quarterback. Morgan McIlvaine and Keva Bogan chipped in two flag pulls apiece, while safety Margaret Stirling put an exclamation point on the performance with a signature interception.
Final Score: Dons 37; Bears 6.
Alhambra:
The Dons struck first with a sharp opening drive as quarterback Grace Natal repeatedly found the consistent hands of Nina Salazar. The two eventually connected in the endzone for a 6-0 lead. Ivana Adolphson helped expand the lead on defense when she foiled the Bulldog’s 2nd drive, snatching a huge interception and racing all the way back for a pick-six to extend the lead 12-0.
With under two seconds left in the 1st half, Natal dumped a short pass to Dheliya Guiro, who frustrated the defenders back and forth across the field before breaking free for a phenomenal 51 yard touchdown, showcasing her speed (watch out for her in the spring Track & Field!) as time expired. Guiro’s blistering speed sent the Dons into halftime with a 19-0 cushion.
Alhambra rallied after the break, clawing back to 18-14. With the game on the line, Clara Sargent made a clutch, game-saving flag pull to freeze the Bulldogs’ momentum and seal the win.
Dheliya Guiro led the defensive effort with 6 flag pulls, alongside Norah Taylor (5 pulls), Daphne Hwang (4 pulls), and Clara Sargent (3 pulls). Adolphson added a critical sack to her earlier pick-six. Offensively, Nina Salazar hauled in 4 catches, while Ximena Espinosa, Sargent, and Taylor added 2 receptions each alongside steady ground work from running backs Zoe Schweifler and Hwang. Final Score: 18-14.
The Dons have an intra-squad Blue vs. White match on Monday followed by the last game of the JV season on Wednesday when the school from Moraga comes to visit our house. Go Dons!
