The high-scoring Acalanes Offense passed and ran over the Miramonte Matadors last Friday night in Orinda, scoring over 50 points in a 56-34 victory that got them back on the winning track after three tough losses. The Dons amassed over 500 yards in total offense and scored 8 TDs without a single turnover. QB Luke Souza threw for 382 yards and three TDs, one each to Sophomore WRs Trevor Rogers and Paul Kuhner, and one to Senior WR Dante Montgomery. RB Evan Malmquist had another 100+ yards rushing with 5 TDs, courtesy of a dominant line performance from LT Anthony Ortale, LG Zach Robb, C Victor Nicolacakis, RG Marcus Julian, and RT Michael Kuhner. Acalanes’ defense did some bending but ultimately didn’t break, as a key interception by Kyle Bielawski and overall strong performance from Senior LB Sam Hafner, 4 Solo Tackles, 6 Assists, 1.5 TFL, and 1 Sack for -8 yards, kept the Matadors from getting too close.

The Dons got the ball first on a beautiful night for football and wasted no time in getting going. A bubble screen followed by a swing pass, both to Montgomery, gave Acalanes a quick 1st down. Two more completions from Souza one to WR Will Berrien on a dig route, and the second to Rogers on a crossing pattern, netted a couple more firsts. After stretching out the Miramonte D through the air, the Dons went to the ground, running 31 Trap, with Ortale and Robb blasting the play side DT, Nicolacakis picking up the MLB, Kuhner cutting the backside DT, and Julian pulling and trapping the DE. That gave Malmquist the room he needed to blast through for an 8 yard gain. After a Souza scramble up the middle got the Dons another first, Acalanes went back to 31 Trap again and this time Malmquist wasn’t stopped until he hit the end zone, Acalanes 7, Miramonte 0.

Miramonte wasn’t going to just go away on this night, however, and once they had their chance they started moving downfield. A couple of bubble screens and an inside trap got the Mats into Acalanes territory, but that’s when the Dons buckled down. After an incompletion on 1st down, Hafner deflected a pass on 2nd, CB James Gunn prevented a 3rd down completion, and then a Hafner sack on 4th gave the ball back to Acalanes.

Giving the ball back to the high-powered Dons offense is never a good idea, and it was especially bad on this night. On the very first play, Souza dropped into a perfect pocket and launched a missile down the right sideline that hit Rogers in stride on a wheel route and no one was going to catch him, 82 yards for another Acalanes TD. Dons 14, Mats 0.

Seeing that Acalanes was going to be scoring in bunches, Miramonte decided to move their best player, Sam Ross, from LT to RB on offense. While it was a bit odd to see #53 carrying the ball in the backfield, it started to make a difference for the Mats. Ross took a swing pass for a big gain, then a run up the middle. Another swing pass to Ross got the Mats inside the Red Zone, but they were pushed back by an unsportsmanlike penalty. That only stopped them for a moment, however, as after the quarter break, Ross took an option pitch to the house and it was Dons 14, Mats 7.

Unfortunately for Miramonte, they had to give the ball back to the red-hot Dons offense. A couple of Malmquist runs, a scramble by Souza, and a deep out to Berrien had the Dons knocking at the door once again. As he has many times this season, WR Dante Montgomery ran a skinny post up the middle and Souza put the ball where only he could catch it, and catch he did, one-handed without breaking stride and into the end zone. Dons 21, Mats 7.

Now the ball went back to Miramonte and they continued to go to #53, Ross. A Ross inside run, a QB scramble, another run by Ross, a quick out followed by another QB scramble, all finished off by another Ross running TD. Dons 21, Mats 14. It was back and forth by the offenses at this point, with the ball coming back to Acalanes. Souza with a quick out to Berrien, and another post pass to Montgomery, set up a perfectly blocked 31 Trap for Malmquist to score his second TD of the day, Dons 28, Mats 14, and that ended the first half.

Miramonte received the ball to start the second half, was it time for the Matadors to score again? Not this time! After a couple of running plays, the Matadors tried to go to the air and LB Kyle Bielawski was not fooled, he snagged a high throw from the Mats QB and took it back all the way to the Miramonte 9 yard line.

The way the Acalanes offense was rolling 9 yards to pay dirt seemed almost unfair. A quick dig route to Berrien to get inside the 5, was immediately followed by another Malmquist power run for a TD, making it Dons 35, Mats 14.

After the score, the ball went back to Miramonte who by this time had changed Ross to a #17 jersey so that he could legally catch passes. Ross runs right, then left, a bubble screen breaks up the monotony, and then runs left again. Now down in the red zone and with the Dons trying to stop the run, the Mat QB lofts a pass in the middle of the end zone and it’s caught, Dons 35, Mats 20 (XP was missed).

The Acalanes offense wasn’t about to let one player dictate the course of this game. So on the very first play of their next possession, Souza hit WR Paul Kuhner on a post pattern and he was gone, 71 yards to pay dirt for another Acalanes TD, Dons 42, Mats 20. Apparently, Miramonte and Ross couldn’t take the hint, and a few more Ross runs in between a couple completed passes and Ross took a pitch for his third TD of the game, Dons 42, Mats 28 (2 point conversion was good). Back and forth we go, and now it was Malmquists turn to show his elusiveness. Following a couple of key blocks, he darted left, broke a few tackles, and outsprinted the entire Matadors defensive backfield for a 58 yard TD scamper, Dons 49, Mats 28.

Miramonte did have a last gasp left in them, and they of course went back to Ross. Pitch right, bubble screen, and a Pass Interference penalty got the Mats back into Acalanes territory. Then Ross took a swing pass, broke six tackles, and went all the way in for another score, Dons 49, Mats 34 (LB Nathan Bennett blitzed the Mats QB to force a failed 2 point conversion). With the game now in the fourth quarter, it was up to the Dons offense to control the clock and put the game away. However, a Malmquist run for no gain, an incompletion, and a short hitch to Berrien had Acalanes in 4th and 5. With the pressure on, a clutch throw and catch from Souza to Berrien got the Dons the first. A beautifully ran draw and a swing pass to Malmquist netted two more first downs and Acalanes was in Miramonte territory. The drive stalled however after an incompletion and a couple of stops at the line of scrimmage. Now the Dons were faced with 4th and 10, not wanting to give the Matadors any hope for a possible comeback. No problem for the Dons as Souza simply dropped back in another perfect pocket provided by the O-line and delivered a strike to Montgomery on a deep out for the first. Now it was just a matter of asserting their will one more time and Malmquist drove it home with his fifth TD of the day, 31 Trap again, following Julian to the left past Ortale and Robb, 15 yards into the end zone. And that’s how it ended, Dons 56, Mats 34.

Next week it’s Senior Night at home vs Alhambra. Come out and cheer all our players, but especially our fantastic seniors who will be playing their last regular season home game for the Dons!