Alec Gletzer

COMPLETE SPORTS CQVERAGEOF AREA SCHOOLS, RECREATION LEAGUES

Wildcats power to key win over Pioneer Gatos advances to title game By DlCK SPARRER happened so quickly, many may have missed it. Pioneer's Brandon Henry lined up out;ide the tackle on the left comer of Ihe line of scrimmage, apparently 'eady to block [or a field goal. But list as quickly as the Mustangs sel [or the play, they surprised every~ one in the house-including Lhe 11 members of the Los Gatos defenlive unit-by snapping lhe fOOL ball Jirectly 10 Henry, who raced nine ard~ {or a touchdown on the selom·used swinging gale play. 'Oft \Vasa direct snap 110 HenryJ." said Pioneer coach Mark Krail. "We've practiced lhal play all year.'" II worked on Friday nighl,and it ~'as enough 10 give Pioneer a20-.17 ead over Los Gatos with 4:52 left p play in (he Central Coast Secion Medium School Division ,emifinals. "They had some Irick plays..and 10 did we," said Los Gatos coach

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Butch Cattolico after the game. But in the end,it wasn't trickery that determined the outcome-it was good old-fashioned smashmouth football. Los Gatos powered its way down the field on a I O-play drive 10 score a game·winning touchdown withjust22.9seconds remaining to pull out a hard-earned 24-20 victory in the e\'enly played game at WeSlmont High School. With the win. Los Gatos (9-3) advances to the CCS Medium School Division championship game against a familiar rival, Palo Alto (9-3) ,on Oec.6, 7 p.m.,at San Jose City College. The clubs meL jusl three weeks ago and Paly pulled out a late 17-14 win. ., If we can play the way we did on Friday night. we have a good shot." said Canolieo. "But they're a very good fOOL ba II leam. They throw the ball really well." The win over Pioneer lasl week certainly didn't come easy for the \Vi\dcats,who led most of the night before Pioneer scored on the swinging gate in the final minutes. "They're an awfully good footballleam,"said Cauolico,praising the Mustangs for their effort. Photogmph by Dave Stephenson

Los Gatos running bock Chris Lallouff(44) powers through the Pioneer defense to score a touchdown in last Frida)' night's 24-20 win over the Mustangs. LaBouff scored two TOs in the Gatos win.

Photograph by Dllve Stephenson

Big defensive lineman Jordan Dombrowsky nails one of his two quarterback sacks in last week's "'in over Pioneer. Los Gatos will now play for the CCS Medium School Division championship.

[n the end, though, it was the over.That's what we try to do." Wildcats' vaunted power running And that's just what they did. game that proved thedi(ference in Tailback Chris LaBouffhit lhe lhegame, line hard on six of lhe 10 plays of I'We figured they were going to the winning drive, but it was ultilry to grind it out;'said Krail orthe mately junior quarterback Nick Cal' Hirschman sneaking in for the That was exactly what Cattoli- final yard behind junior center co's plan was in the final minutes. Erik Eastland. for the winning "'1tese kids are blood and gUIS," touchdown. said Cattolico of his \Vildcats. The drive started at midfield ""nlere's nothing prct1y aboul after hristian Cusella returned them, but there's no quit in them the Pioneerkickoff32yards.neareither:rney did illast week against Iy breaking it. before officials indiSeaside. and they did it again cated he slepped out of bounds al tonighl against a very good Pio- the 50. neer Lcam." Hirschman tossed to junior "We wanted 10 keep their Andrew Berg for 23 yards 10 cal offense off the field;' he added. <'We just let our power game take . . Page 50 DECEMBER 2,2008 LOS GATOS WEEKLY-TlMES 45

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SPORTS

PholOgrnph by DaveStcphcnson

Standout wide receiver, defensive back ~md kick returner Andrew Berg s(~Jrred in all three areas in Friday's win over Pioneer. Berg's pass interception ended a Pioneer threat and started the Wildcats on the TOad to a score.

Football COlltilluedfrom page 45 up half the distance. After a 2-yard

fun by LaBouf[, Hirschman went to Cusella for eight yards and a first down at the Pioneer 17.

"Nick threw the ball really well t6nighl," said Cattolico of Hirschman, who hit on 9 of 1\ passes-including his first seven

straight-ror 89 yards. LaBouff ran twice for eight yards and Cole Cuselln picked up one to leave Gatos facingn fOUTthand-one at the 9-yard line. Catlolico called a timeout to talk things over wil h h is offense, but there was

never any indication that placekicker Pat Impey might come on to attempt a game-tyingfieldgoul. Cattolico called on LaBouCf, and he powered his way over the left side behind tackle Spencer Havens and guard Jordan Dombrowsky for a key first down at the 5. A couple of runs by LaBouff 'took the Cats to the j -yard line, and Hirschman took it from lhere for the touchdown, Pioneer had one lasl chance (rom its own 41 following the kickoff.Jake Hackman-Salazar broke up a first-down pass,but a rough'ing the passer penally gave the ML4slangs a first at the Galos 44. After an errant pass, Pioneer had one last chnnce w\th 3.9 seconds rcmaini.ng. But linebacker Hamilton Fairburn, who doubles as key blocking back in the Los Gatos offense, pressured "Pioneer quar terback RJ. Silvey into throwing a pass to an offensive lineman and R

Ihegameended. "Our quarterback played well, our running backs ran hard and the defense played well,"said Caltolico. AleC'Gletzer led the inspired defensive effort with 14 tackles and senior linebacker Kyle 8aumann gol inan nine,including two for losses. Craig Zeiter finished with eight tackles, a few of them solo stops in the open field, and Dombrowsky had a couple of quarterback sacks among hiseighl tackles. Fairburn ended upwithsix tackles,as did senior Brian Comstock. But it wasn't a tackle that was the key play of the game for Comstock. Early in the second hair, he blocked a Pioneer punt and covered the loose ball at the Pioneer 4yard line. LaBouff ran for three yards, then went the final yard over the left side 3:07 into the third quarter. Tmpey kicked one of his three extra points,and the Cats led 14-7. The defense stopped Pioneer cold on its next possession. Gletzer andDombrowsky met Rob Artery at the line of scrimmage on first down at thell ioneer 20-yard line before Fairburn dropped star funning back Justin S9uza [or a yard loss. Dombrowsky sacked Silvey at the 16 to force the Mustangs to punt. Berg returned the kiclc to the Pioneer43,and the Wildcats look advantage of a couple of penalties to move inlo position for a 24-yard Impey field goal. The Mustangs scored on their next two possessions [Q lead 20-14,

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Football Continued from page 50 but that just set the stage for the final Los OatosTD. The Wildcats had broken up a scoreless lie with an impressive 14-play, 7S-yard touchdown march in the second quarter.Berg picked off a pass to gel things started,and LaBouff capped the drive with a 4-yard TO run over lhe m.iddle.

LaBouff was the Los Gatos workhorse with 22 carries for 60 yards,and Co. <;:uselhl supported with 39 yards on 'line tries.ll1c two were running bett{nd an offensive

front that included Havens. Dornbrowsky, Eastland, Westin Bolliger,Patrick Kelly and Chris Kilely. tight end Comstock and blocking backs Fairburn and Dylan Johns. Hirschman connected with 01.

Cusella (our times for 28 yards, Berg three times for 44, HackmanSalazar once for 11 and Comstock once for six. Junior noseguard Suhkrnj Sohal had a sack among his four lackles', Burton Ferguson got in on four stops;Hackman-Salazar had two tackles and batted down lwo passes and Shane Samuel,Vicror Zapala and Mike Sporck were also in onstops.