Acalanes put it all together against crosstown rival Miramonte, rolling to a 46-10 victory and posting its highest point total of the season. The offense lit up the scoreboard once again, but the bigger story was a defense that made a loud statement: these Dons are more than just an offensive juggernaut.
The Dons defense swarmed all night, holding Miramonte to just 10 points. Acalanes recorded seven tackles for loss and two sacks, consistently pushing the Matadors backward. Senior Luke Dafferner was a force, piling up three tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Junior Sean Tandler added a sack and a tackle for loss of his own, while junior Dax Vail — who leads the team in total tackles for the season — continued to add to his total with seven tackles. Seniors Camden Sinha, Daniel Dunne and Finn Rivera each chipped in five tackles, as did junior Brennan Visnick.
The shutdown secondary would not be outdown as Grant Condy, Max Volpian and Sam Philips held the Matador wideouts in check all night.
Senior quarterback Tyler Winkles continued his impressive season, completing 13 of 21 passes for 312 yards and five touchdowns. His favorite targets did the rest. Senior Finn Rivera hauled in eight catches for 187 yards and three touchdowns, while senior Jackson Boselli turned just three receptions into 107 yards and two scores, averaging nearly 36 yards per catch.
None of it happens without the big guys up front. The offensive line of Matthew Lee, Regino Rubio, Oliver MacLeod, Graham Welton, Grady Branaugh, and Cash Ricker (call them “The Lafayette Dam”) held back everything Miramonte threw at them. Winkles had time all day to survey the field and find his receivers downfield.
The formidable group opened lanes for a ground game that gave the Matadors plenty more to worry about. Junior Joaquin Bordi ran hard, and junior Justin Davis made a triumphant return from injury, racking up 57 yards on just three carries, including a 40-yard touchdown run that brought the Acalanes sideline to its feet. Having Davis back as a weapon makes this offense even more dangerous as the playoffs approach.
The Lafayette Dam held firm for their kicker as well. Sophomore Jonny Rubin was perfect, going 5-5 on extra points and 1-1 on his lone field goal attempt from 31 yards. The kicker also flashed his defensive skills late in the fourth quarter with a touchdown saving tackle during a kickoff return.
It was a complete team win, and the timing could not be better as Acalanes heads into the stretch run. Next up, the Dons travel to Clayton Valley on Friday, October 23 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.