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Serra’s football team went from joy to despair and back Saturday
During a tumultuous 0-4 start, where little to nothing went right on the field, including injuries to six defensive starters, Serra football coach Patrick Walsh found one golden positive.
“No one jumped ship,” he said.
Nobody quit.
No finger-pointing.
No angry emails from parents.
“Believe me, it’s miserable losing four straight games no matter who you play or whatever level,” Walsh said.
[...] these guys took the attitude that if we’re doing down, we’re going down together.
With that attitude and a group that includes reigning WCAL Player of the Year Leki Nunn and standout 5-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker T.C. Lavulo returning from injury, Walsh figured the tide would turn.
“I told them before the game that it’s time to cash in the pain,” he said.
Their first win of the season, 41-7 over Sacred Heart Cathedral on Sept. 30, had the Padres thinking they were headed in the right direction.
[...] it seemed they were in charge Saturday when a 23-point run gave them a 33-23 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
[...] came a roller coaster of events.
St. Francis closed to 33-30 and had a potential tying field goal at the buzzer blocked by Serra.
Euphoria for the home team — too much so.
The Padres stormed the field before the live ball was downed.
Two penalties and a chip-shot field goal later, the game was going to overtime.
Walsh said the Padres wouldn’t let the sudden downward turn deter them.
“I told them earlier in the week they were going to win but it would take a full 48 minutes to beat a team as good St. Francis,” Walsh said.
When I gathered them before overtime, I said ‘I lied.
St. Francis’ three-star running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio rushed for his third touchdown in overtime to go up 40-33.
Nunn responded with a 5-yard TD run to close to 49-39 and, rather than kick for the extra point — the Padres had missed 3 of 4 — they went for the win.
“My coaches designed the perfect play call,” Walsh said.
The Padres jumped offside, making it an 8-yard two-point conversion.
“Probably should have kicked it that point,” Walsh said.
[...] didn’t want to lose on a kick.
Instead Nunn found Shane Villaroman in the left flat for the winning two-point conversion.
[...] like our season, nobody jumped ship.
[...] the Padres (2-4, 2-1) are in the thick of the WCAL fight.
Valley Christian (6-0, 3-0) is the only unbeaten team in league play and Serra, St. Francis, Bellarmine and Mitty are tied for second.
The big games this week are Mitty at St. Francis on Friday and Bellarmine at Valley Christian on Saturday.
“Maybe the league champions have two losses this year,” Walsh said.
Running wild:
According to the Marin Independent Journal, Redwood-Larkspur senior running back Nick Calzaretta has rushed for 710 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Not for the season, just the last two games, including a 393-yard, six-TD game on Saturday in a 66-27 win over Tamalpais.
For the season, the 5-11, 198-pound senior has 1,537 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Redwood is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Marin County Athletic League play.
“Calzaretta had an amazing day,” Redwood coach Allen Talley said.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer for MaxPreps.com
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De La Salle
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During a tumultuous 0-4 start, where little to nothing went right on the field, including injuries to six defensive starters, Serra football coach Patrick Walsh found one golden positive.
“No one jumped ship,” he said.
Nobody quit.
No finger-pointing.
No angry emails from parents.
“Believe me, it’s miserable losing four straight games no matter who you play or whatever level,” Walsh said.
[...] these guys took the attitude that if we’re doing down, we’re going down together.
With that attitude and a group that includes reigning WCAL Player of the Year Leki Nunn and standout 5-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker T.C. Lavulo returning from injury, Walsh figured the tide would turn.
“I told them before the game that it’s time to cash in the pain,” he said.
Their first win of the season, 41-7 over Sacred Heart Cathedral on Sept. 30, had the Padres thinking they were headed in the right direction.
[...] it seemed they were in charge Saturday when a 23-point run gave them a 33-23 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
[...] came a roller coaster of events.
St. Francis closed to 33-30 and had a potential tying field goal at the buzzer blocked by Serra.
Euphoria for the home team — too much so.
The Padres stormed the field before the live ball was downed.
Two penalties and a chip-shot field goal later, the game was going to overtime.
Walsh said the Padres wouldn’t let the sudden downward turn deter them.
“I told them earlier in the week they were going to win but it would take a full 48 minutes to beat a team as good St. Francis,” Walsh said.
When I gathered them before overtime, I said ‘I lied.
St. Francis’ three-star running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio rushed for his third touchdown in overtime to go up 40-33.
Nunn responded with a 5-yard TD run to close to 49-39 and, rather than kick for the extra point — the Padres had missed 3 of 4 — they went for the win.
“My coaches designed the perfect play call,” Walsh said.
The Padres jumped offside, making it an 8-yard two-point conversion.
“Probably should have kicked it that point,” Walsh said.
[...] didn’t want to lose on a kick.
Instead Nunn found Shane Villaroman in the left flat for the winning two-point conversion.
[...] like our season, nobody jumped ship.
[...] the Padres (2-4, 2-1) are in the thick of the WCAL fight.
Valley Christian (6-0, 3-0) is the only unbeaten team in league play and Serra, St. Francis, Bellarmine and Mitty are tied for second.
The big games this week are Mitty at St. Francis on Friday and Bellarmine at Valley Christian on Saturday.
“Maybe the league champions have two losses this year,” Walsh said.
Running wild:
According to the Marin Independent Journal, Redwood-Larkspur senior running back Nick Calzaretta has rushed for 710 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Not for the season, just the last two games, including a 393-yard, six-TD game on Saturday in a 66-27 win over Tamalpais.
For the season, the 5-11, 198-pound senior has 1,537 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Redwood is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Marin County Athletic League play.
“Calzaretta had an amazing day,” Redwood coach Allen Talley said.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer for MaxPreps.com
Chronicle top 25 football
School
De La Salle
Monte Vista
Freedom
Cardinal Newman
Antioch
Marin Catholic
Foothill
Heritage
More...