| | Published October 13th, 2010
| Local Football Rivalries Play Out
| | By Alex Kozela |  | | Acalanes' senior quarterback Mike Leamy (#7) hands the ball to junior running back Joe Dreyer for a touchdown run against Campolindo last Friday. Photo Pam Alsterlind
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"There's nothing like it."
That's how Acalanes quarterback Michael Leamy described defeating his team's archrivals Campolindo, 24-20, last Friday in a make-or-break game that could end up being crucial to both team's fortunes.
After losing to their neighbors for the past two seasons and in jeopardy of falling to 0-2 in DFAL (Diablo Foothill Athletic League) play, a determined Acalanes came from behind to win their first league game of the season and halted their two-game losing skid in the process.
"This game was about coming out and playing hard for four quarters, playing one play at a time, and getting after it from the very first play to the very last," Acalanes head coach Mike Ivankovich said. "We didn't even talk about winning. Accomplishing that is more important than the win."
Yet the Cougars (4-2, 0-2) were the team that looked the sharpest out of the gates, as they went 63 yards on three plays in only the first minute, leading to the game's first touchdown on a Joey Bertrand run.
After the Dons (4-2, 1-1) equalized in the first minute of the second quarter, Campolindo came right back when Derrick Margerum scored on a one-yard run. Acalanes, however, showed their resilience by scoring just before the half thanks to an Aaron Edwards run.
The Dons went ahead for good late in the third quarter when running back Joe Dreyer broke and ran for a 72-yard touchdown.
"We noticed they were shifting to our wing, so we put the wing on the opposite side of where we ran it, and it just worked perfectly," Dreyer said.
Campolindo surged late in the fourth quarter after an Acalanes field goal and got a touchdown from Erik Baker, but it was too little too late as time ran out, prompting an elated celebration from the players and coaches to the away fans.
"We had two horribly brutal weeks and we had to come back and play the kind of football we knew we were capable of," Ivankovich said. "Sometimes when it goes away you forget what it feels like, and they got that back tonight."
Leamy echoed those sentiments.
"If you get two losses in league, you really don't get a shot at winning, but hope is still alive, and this is a good push going into the rest of the season."
The big win was, naturally, sweeter when defeating a local rival.
"These kids grow up together, so when we play each other, we want to get it done," Ivankovich said. "We got it done tonight."
Acalanes will look to build on the win Friday when they travel to Alhambra, while Campolindo will look to reverse their fortunes and halt their skid at Dublin.
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| Senior captain Lucas Levine (#11) takes on former Stanley teammate, now rival, Derick Margerum (#7).
Photo Pam Alsterlind
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| Acalanes #32 Carson Gardner, Campolindo #2 Thorsten Karl Photo Andy Scheck
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Miramonte Remains Undefeated
Meanwhile, Orinda's Miramonte kept their perfect record intact, now 6-0, defeating Acalanes 44-21 on October 1, and Dougherty Valley (DV) 38-20 on October 8. In last Friday's game against DV the Matadors went into the halftime interval up 24-0 after a wild last minute of the first half that saw Miramonte cover 80 yards in three plays. Mats' junior quarterback Ross Anderson scored on a 24-yard run that effectively sealed the win for the home team. Anderson finished with 115 yards and a touchdown while running for 157 yards with three scores, leading all rushers. The Mats will look to stay undefeated this Friday at Las Lomas, and will host Campolindo on October 22nd.
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| In the 44-21 win over Acalanes on October 1, Miramonte quarterback Ross Anderson (9) ran up the middle for a 40 yard gain in the first play of the game.
Photo Jordan Fong
|  | | The Matador's Christian Thatcher (2) ripped the ball out of the hands of Acalanes running back Aaron Edwards (19) and headed to the endzone for a touchdown. Photo Jordan Fong
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA