By Craig Wentz
Town Crier Correspondent
Prep Football Digest
Despite recording its second straight losing season, the St. Francis High football team will get an opportunity to capture a Central Coast Section title. However, it won’t be in the division the Lancers are accustomed to playing in.
After seasons of competing in the Division I playoffs, 13-time CCS champion St. Francis will take part in the eight-team Division III field for the first time since 1993. The eighth-seeded Lancers (4-6) will get a tough test early by playing at top-seeded Los Gatos (10-0) in opening-round action at 7 p.m., Friday.
In a non-league game in September, Los Gatos beat St. Francis 21-6.
The injury-riddled Lancers enter Friday’s game lacking momentum, having lost two games in a row. A week after a home loss to Bellarmine, St. Francis fell 61-7 at Mitty last Friday.
Since losing quarterback Mark Hoff (knee) and receiver Joey Fernandez (hip) to season-ending injuries a few weeks back, the Lancers have been outscored 94-20 in two losses.
Sophomore quarterback Kyle Spraker will try to move the chains against a physical Los Gatos defense and the Lancers’ defense hopes to contain Los Gatos’ high-octane offense.
Behind All-American quarterback Trent Edwards, the Wildcats averaged more than 50 points per game in the rugged SCVAL De Anza Division.
Edwards and company must be licking their chops after seeing what Mitty did to St. Francis last weekend. Before an estimated crowd of 4,000 fans in San Jose, Mitty (5-0, 10-0) jumped out to a commanding 34-7 halftime lead with a lethal rushing attack and stingy defense.
After Mitty took a 7-0 lead, the Lancers tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter thanks to a 5-yard run from Vince Scott. From there, Mitty ripped off 54 straight points en route to its first WCAL crown since 1974.
Mitty racked up 407 yards rushing on the night and held the Lancers to only 60 yards of offense.
Lynbrook 19, Los Altos 15
Los Altos (0-6, 0-9) ended a frustrating season without a win, losing to lowly Lynbrook (1-5, 3-7) last Friday night in an El Camino Division matchup at Cupertino High.
The Eagles had opportunities to win at least one game this season, but suffered difficult losses in the last two weeks to Fremont and Lynbrook.
Against Lynbrook (1-5, 3-7), Los Altos received an 11-yard touchdown pass from Shawn Girouard to Marcus Boone that gave the Eagles a 7-6 halftime advantage. Los Altos extended the margin to 13-6 in the third quarter, courtesy of Boone’s 10-yard scoring run.
In a replay of the Fremont loss two weeks ago, Los Altos allowed Lynbrook two late touchdowns to pull out the win.
Milpitas 35, Homestead 28
Homestead (5-5) played its best football at the end of the season and nearly pulled off a big upset Friday at Milpitas (7-3) in a non-league game.
The Mustangs stunned Milpitas in the first quarter by grabbing a 14-0 lead with a pair of touchdown runs (54, 23) from running back Will Fauls. Milpitas answered with 28 unanswered points for a seemingly comfortable 28-14 halftime lead.
Homestead didn’t back down in the second half, though, tying the game at 28 in the fourth quarter with a Steven Nichols 5-yard run and a Fauls’ 50-yard dash. Milpitas iced the contest with an 8-yard touchdown pass with 2:57 remaining.
Fauls had a career night, rushing for 244 yards.
Palo Alto 34, Gunn 7
Gunn and Palo Alto renewed its intense crosstown rivalry in grand fashion last Friday night in front of a large crowd at Stanford Stadium.
On the opening kickoff, Gunn’s Matt Clendenin raced 95 yards for a touchdown for a quick 7-0 advantage. Unfortunately for the Titans, they wouldn’t score again, as Paly manhandled them at the line of scrimmage.
Paly (2-3-1, 6-3-1) parlayed a strong running game with an efficient passing scheme to beat the young Titans (0-6, 2-8) for the first time in three years.
