Los Altos routs Lynbrook to stay on top of division
By Scott Campbell, Special to the Town Crier
Los Altos defensive back Trevor Phipps sacks Lynbrook quarterback Tony Perez. photos by |
Despite the final score, this was not what Eagles players and coaches have come to call “Los Altos football.”
Los Altos trounced hapless Lynbrook 30-0 Oct. 29, but a lack of focus was the central theme as the Eagles delivered a sloppy performance that could well have been their downfall against a tougher opponent.
Perhaps it was the homecoming festivities, the parade for the players and the excitement of the dance later that evening. Or maybe it was the Eagles’ dismissing Lynbrook, the El Camino Division doormat, letting their thoughts drift to their looming showdown with Santa Clara.
Despite a convincing victory, Los Altos (6-2, 4-0 El Camino) was off its game.
“We got away with the win,” said Eagles coach Erik Rutgers, “but we’re not satisfied with this win by any means. It was just one big distraction week and, unfortunately, it got to us a little bit out there on the field.”
Though the outcome was never in doubt, with Los Altos jumping to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, the Eagles were assessed a staggering 11 penalties, many of them mental errors that signal a distracted team.
“It was getting ridiculous,” said Eagles quarterback Richard Rullo, who completed 5-of-9 passes for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns. “It seemed like every time we had a good play, half the team was looking around just to make sure there wasn’t any flag.”
Fortunately for Los Altos, it had far more talent on both sides of the ball to overwhelm Lynbrook (0-8, 0-5 El Camino), many of whose players are competing in their first year of football.
Fullback Jamar Watson starred for the Eagles, rushing 9 times for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns. The junior burst for a 54-yard touchdown run to open the scoring four minutes into the game and later added a 24-yard scoring dash that, following Charles Sines’ point-after, gave the team a 23-0 lead at the 7:42 mark in the third quarter.
“This might sound wrong to my coach, but every time I touch the ball, I think touchdown,” said Watson, who has scored a team-leading 9 touchdowns on the year. “Maybe we were unfocused, thinking about the dance and the girls, but I was thinking about football.”
Rullo found his favorite target, wide receiver Evan Nelson, for a 48-yard touchdown, the 8th scoring combination for the senior duo this season.
Even cornerback Adam Pittman found the end zone. Entering the game for one play as a wide receiver, Pittman hauled in a Rullo pass for a 31-yard touchdown near the left sideline.
But the biggest star for Los Altos may have been its defense, which notched its first shutout.
“They’re walking right to us,” Rutgers heard his defensive players tell him on the sidelines. “Our front seven was just dominant. It was slow motion for them.”
Defensive back Nick Fishwick, who had earlier recovered a Los Altos onside kick, recorded a second-quarter safety after Max Lanman downed an Eagles’ punt at Lynbrook’s 1-yard line.
And Ryan Figueroa intercepted Vikings quarterback Tony Perez, who was harassed throughout the game by the Los Altos pass rush.
Despite the big homecoming win, the Eagles left the field knowing they will need to play a much more disciplined game to compete with Santa Clara.
The teams are tied atop the El Camino Division, both with a record of 4-0, meaning Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. contest at Santa Clara will likely decide both the league title and a CCS berth.
“To (beat) Santa Clara, we’re going to have to eliminate all those penalties and play a lot smarter,” said Rullo.
Los Altos figures to have its hands full against the talented Bruins (7-1 overall), a team that has outscored its El Camino opponents by a combined score of 181-32.
“They have the quick-strike capability like no other in this league,” said Rutgers. “It’s a scary offense to go up against. It’s fast. It’s nasty. They have the ability to go up by 21 points in under two minutes.”
Having dispensed with Lynbrook, the Eagles put their full attention to the game that they have had their eyes on all along. “It was hard not to think about next week,” said Rullo. “It’s the game of the year.”
