By DON DELCO Dana Hemmingsen woke up at 3 a.m. in a panic the day before the Acalanes freshman football team would play host to Clayton Valley. Hemmingsen, the head coach and defensive coordinator, just spent the past two days heaping an abundance of responsibility on the Dons’ defense. “Maybe I threw too much at these guys,” Hemmingson said he…
Acalanes rolled past crosstown rival Miramonte 46-10, posting a season-high point total in a complete offensive and defensive team win.
Some football games end when the clock reaches zero. Others linger for a while. Friday’s 15-14 loss to Miramonte falls squarely into the latter category. Acalanes led or was tied for virtually the entire game, twice held a seven-point advantage, and seemed to have matters reasonably in hand until the final minute. Then, in the span of a few plays,…
By DON DELCO ORINDA, Calif. — The Acalanes freshman football team scored touchdowns on its first four offensive possessions, leading the Dons to a convincing 30-8 win over Miramonte on Thursday, Oct. 15. It was the most points Acalanes scored in a single game this season. The victory in the season’s final road game lifted Acalanes’ record to over .500…
Acalanes went on the road and outclassed cross-town rival Las Lomas 35-10 on a windy Walnut Creek night, trading its usual aerial attack for a punishing ground game while a stout defense smothered the Knights.
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…
By DON DELCO LAFAYETTE, Calif. — Caelen Birrell scored two first-half touchdowns on a punt return and interception to help lead the Acalanes freshman football team past visiting Las Lomas 28-8 on Thursday, Oct. 8. The win pulls Acalanes back to .500 at 3-3 with three games remaining in the season. “Going into the Las Lomas game, the kids feel like…
LAFAYETTE — Acalanes gave its homecoming crowd plenty to celebrate Friday night, pairing a suffocating defense with another record-setting pace from quarterback Tyler Winkles in a 42-15 win over American Canyon. Winkles threw for 427 yards and five touchdowns, while the Dons defense forced five punts and came up with three fourth-down stops as Acalanes improved to 4-1 on the…
American Canyon came to Lafayette on Friday with the résumé of a team accustomed to controlling games. The Wolves were 4-0, had outscored their opponents 155-34, and had won their previous three games by 29, 37 and 42 points. Acalanes did not appear especially impressed. The opening kickoff was a hard, low squib, but Reese Caicedo deftly snagged the pigskin…
By DON DELCO LIVERMORE, Calif. — Behind four touchdown passes from Granada High School quarterback Dalton Lutz, the host Matadors’ offense continued their torrid pace defeating visiting Acalanes 48-14 on Thursday, Sept. 24 at Kevin Drake Stadium. Granada won its fourth consecutive game to start the season, buoyed by a balanced offensive attack. The Matadors are averaging 44 points per…