Some football games are destined for the highlight reel. Others are probably best placed gently in the rearview mirror, with the heat turned up and the bus pointed toward home. Friday’s trip to Vanden High School seemed to fit decidedly into the latter category.
The Dons arrived after a long road trip to find brutally cold conditions, swirling switchback winds that seemed to change direction on a whim, and an unusually stripped-down road operation with the Varsity Dons playing elsewhere. Add an increasingly colorful home public address announcer, whose commentary gradually wandered from unconventional to rather more than anyone had bargained for and, before long, a succession of disheartening injuries, and this was a football game that never quite felt normal.
And as if all that weren’t enough, awaiting the Dons on the opposite sideline was yet another undefeated opponent. At this point, the Acalanes schedule is beginning to look less like a collection of football games and more like a carefully curated gauntlet.
The opening kickoff provided an appropriate preview. A massive gust seemingly pole-vaulted the ball over Jackson Cooper’s outstretched hands and into the end zone. Cooper nevertheless gathered it up and battled his way out to the 25. Acalanes moved the ball through the air, with catches by Stone Jaquet, Zenai Kaplanes-Jones, and Luke Kelly, before turning it over on downs.
Vanden quickly answered with a deep touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead.
The Dons responded by going to the ground. Andre “Thunder” Lewis ripped off a couple of chunk gains, Will Feinstein scrambled for a first down, and Acalanes benefited from a personal foul before lightning struck. Jayden Lifson broke loose for a long touchdown, tying the game 7-7 with about nine minutes remaining in the half.
For a brief moment, things looked decidedly warmer.
Lelan Stone then delivered a terrific special-teams tackle that pinned Vanden deep. The defense applied pressure, Jaquet broke up a pass, and William Griffin, Kelly, Stone, AJ Bishop, and company made their presence felt. Vanden eventually escaped, however, with a long rumbling touchdown run. The missed extra point left the Dons down 13-7.
The defensive front continued battling throughout the evening, with Beau Tandler, Harrison Clark, Reese Caicedo, and Samson Salvador among those doing the demanding, often thankless work in the trenches.
Acalanes soon got another opportunity when Jaquet stepped in front of a fourth-and-long pass for an interception.
At roughly this point, Coach Caicedo (father of Reese) diagnosed what was plainly missing: water and water personnel. Enter ten-year-old BVE buddies Mason and Hallie, siblings of Dons JV players, who were abruptly promoted from the stands to the Acalanes sideline. While their qualifications were decidedly uncertain; the enthusiasm was most assuredly not. Armed with water bottles, smiles, and no fear of being insufficiently qualified, the newly constituted hydration department went to work.
Sadly, water alone could not cure everything. Vanden intercepted on the ensuing possession, although the Don defense answered with another stop to keep the halftime margin at 13-7.
The second half began with another reminder that the football gods were feeling mischievous. Vanden returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, taking just ten seconds off the clock and stretching the lead to 20-7.
Still, the Dons did not go away. The defense forced a punt, and Mateo Valenzuela hauled in a pair of catches as Acalanes began moving again. Sadly, Valenzuela was brought down hard on his final play and left the game and stadium with an injury. Everyone in the Dons family will be hoping for a very quick and full recovery.
On the very next play, Kelly stutter-stepped his way through traffic and into the end zone. The extra point was good, and suddenly it was 20-14. For the second time, Acalanes was one score from taking the lead.
But Vanden again quickly countered with a touchdown pass to make it 26-14, and then capitalized on a Don fumble and returned it for another score. The extra point pushed the margin to 33-14.
Kaplanes-Jones responded with a terrific first-down catch as the third quarter ended. Unfortunately, the quarter also saw Lewis leave the game in obvious discomfort, although he was able to walk off gingerly under his own power. Kellan Middleton stepped into a larger role, contributing on several runs as he, Kelly, and Jayden Lifson carried the backfield load.
There were still some defensive highlights to come. Griffin made an excellent pass breakup, and with 49 seconds remaining Kelly added an interception. August Van Ornum and Feinstein, meanwhile, were observed making repeated and responsible use of the sideline hydration operation, validating management’s mid-game staffing decision.
Eventually, the final whistle arrived. Final score: 33-14
There was plenty about Friday worth forgetting: the weather, the injuries, the strange atmosphere, and a game that never developed the way two strong weeks of practice suggested it might. But Coach Nat Beeman put the night in perspective after the long bus ride back to campus.
“The kids had two very solid weeks of practice. It was just a tough game,” Beeman said. “We need to shake it off and move on to Miramonte.”
That sounds about right.
Some games deserve careful study. Others deserve a warm shower, a little ice where necessary, and a firm commitment not to let one strange Friday night become anything more than one strange Friday night.
Alden’s dad now signs off with a special wish for the Dons who left Friday’s due to injury. Here’s hoping for especially speedy recoveries, some well-earned rest and warm comfort food, and a healthier, happier Dons squad when Miramonte comes calling.
