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Campolindo head coach Kevin Macy was very critical of a matchup between a school with 1,200 students facing a school with 3,000 students: "Where are the checks and balances. It's a dirty political thing. We're a small-town school and asking us to go up against a Division I school is too much."
Still and all, Campolindo made more than a representative showing in a game that remained in doubt well into the fourth quarter.
Once again, the Cougars were led by quarterback John Torchio who was 25 for 42 for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Torchio also ran 11 times for 111 yards, which included a 59-yard touchdown.
Macy accepted that his team could not play a power game versus Milpitas and had the Cougars pass on the team's first nine plays. With the lead changing hands nine times in the first half, Milpitas led at halftime 30-28.
For the first time, Campolindo lost the field position game. The Cougars began the second half at their own 6 yard line due to a fumbled kickoff. Torchio went on to complete a 44-yard pass to Parker Windatt to get the team out of the hole. Windatt had a career game, catching 15 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Seppi Ortman was just wide left on a 30-yard field goal that would have given the lead back to Campolindo.
After another Milpitas score, Max Schoenberger slipped on the kickoff return and Campolindo began this drive at their own 4 yard line. Again Campolindo marched down the field, converting a fourth down play and eventually scored on a 36-yard Ortman field goal.
The Campolindo defense had no answer for Milpitas running back Tariq Bracy who ran for 310 yards, scoring four times on 36 carries. Milpitas would end up with 625 yards in total offense. Campolindo amassed a total of 588 yards, punting only once the entire game.
With 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, trailing 44-38, Campolindo defensive back, Ian Concepcion came up with an interception at the Cougars 39 yard line. Driving into Milpitas territory with a chance to take the lead, running back Shun Ishida fumbled at the Milpitas 30 yard line, which was then returned to the Campolindo 34 yard line. Bracy went on to score on a 19-yard run closing out the scoring. Still, Ishida had a solid game otherwise, rushing for 89 yards on nine carries while scoring a touchdown on a 22-yard reception.
At the end, Macy did not hold back in praising his team: "We did all we could do tonight. We should be proud. We never backed off or stopped fighting."
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA