 | | | Nick Fadelli rushed for five touchdowns in the first half against Analy. Photos Gint Federas | | | | | | The Campolindo Cougars remain the last Lamorinda team in the NCS football playoffs. They will face Marin Catholic in the NCS finals. After routing Cardinal Newman 56-14, the Cougars took on Analy to advance to the finals. Acalanes lost a heartbreaker to Analy in the quarterfinals to end its season.
On Nov. 28, Campolindo kept their winning streak alive by defeating Analy, 62-46, in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate.
The Tigers drew first blood, taking a 7-0 lead with 8:48 left in the first quarter. Campo responded by capping a six-play, 58-yard drive with a 6-yard rushing touchdown from Nick Fadelli. On Analy's next drive, Adam Remotto intercepted a pass setting up the Cougars with first and goal from the 1 yard line. Fadelli quickly scored a second touchdown to give Campo a 13-7 lead.
The back and forth continued as the first half saw seven lead changes. The game turned late in the third. With 2:48 left in the quarter, Campolindo blocked an Analy extra-point attempt, keeping the Cougar lead 48-40.
Campo was forced to punt on their next possession, and Analy scored a touchdown. However, the Tigers failed to score on the subsequent two-point conversion, leaving Campo up 48-46.
With 7:40 left in the game, Campolindo began an eight-play, 74-yard drive that ended with Jack Stephens finding Max Flower in the back left corner of the end zone. After the extra point, the Cougars held a 55-46 lead. Flower returned an interception for a touchdown with 13 seconds left, making the score 62-46, putting the final touches on a great win.
"It was an incredible effort by all the kids in the secondary," said Cougars head coach Kevin Macy of Remotto, Flower, Tiger Garcia, and Jack Shurtz, all of whom recorded interceptions. "Analy has a great passing game, so we knew that we were going to be under stress all night, and I give our kids credit for hanging in under that intense fire."
Fadelli rushed 23 times for 111 yards, four touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Stephens completed 11 of 17 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, and Caleb Whalen led the receiving core with three receptions for 80 yards.
The Cougars face No. 3 Marin Catholic (10-3, 6-1 MCAL) on Dec. 6 at Diablo Valley College for the NCS Division III Championship. Campo beat Marin Catholic for the title in 2011. Marin Catholic has reached the NCS finals the last three years, winning in 2012. It should be an exciting match-up for Campolindo.
On Nov. 22, Acalanes (8-4, 4-2 DFAL) found themselves in a shootout with Analy in their quarterfinal game. Acalanes scored in the final five minutes, bringing them to within a touchdown, 41-48, but the Tigers ran out the clock.
"They have some explosive athletes, and we struggled to stop them," said Dons head coach Mike Ivankovich. "It was a great game, but that's it. You lose in the playoffs and that's it."
While Acalanes ultimately finished with the same record as their 2013 campaign, 8-4, this year's Dons showed improvement in league 4-2 (up from 3-3 in 2013).
"Offensively, I think we accomplished what we set out to, threw the ball well, pass protected well, and defensively, I think we did a really good job of maximizing ourselves," said Ivankovich.
The Dons will lose quarterback Casey Harrington, All-DFAL center Michael Fink, and Oregon-committed left tackle Brady Aiello to graduation this offseason, but they return a handful of key players including Nathan Edwards, Matt Bostwick, and Jake Berry.
"I think Jake's going to catch some people by surprise with just how great he is, his footwork, vision, mechanics, he can play," said Ivankovich of his future quarterback.
Look for more great play from Acalanes next year.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA