Heritage (5-0) outscored visiting Berkeley by 22 points in the second quarter, as the Patriots raced past the Yellow Jackets for a 56-20 Homecoming victory, setting the mark for best start in school history.
Berkeley (2-3) took a 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, using a 69-yard touchdown run by Armani Turner-Jenkins and a 50-yard screen pass to Isaiah Mays to temporarily surprise the home crowd. The Patriots, however, responded with a huge second quarter to establish a 35-14 lead by halftime.
Nick Zell found Josh Wishom on a four-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, and his 20-yard scoring pass to Tyrese Mack gave the Patriots a 28-14 lead with 43 seconds left in the half. That was when disaster struck for Berkeley, and allowed Heritage to drive an early nail into the coffin. The Yellow Jackets fumbled the ensuing drive, and after the Patriots recovered, Zell found Hassan Williams from 37 yards out for his fifth scoring pass of the half.
The Patriots actually scored on the ground early in the third quarter, as Aidan Quinn found the end zone from six yards away, less than two minutes into the second half. That made Berkeley’s touchdown five minutes later, on a one-yard run by quarterback Tucker Andrew, mere window dressing, especially when Zell hit Tyrese Mack for their third scoring connection of the night prior to the end of the third quarter.
Tyriq Mack, who also scored in the first half, had the highlight of that scoring drive, a 30-yard catch-and-run that featured multiple jukes past Berkeley defenders. A one-yard scoring run by Zell with 8:49 left in the game ended the scoring and prompted the fourth-quarter running clock.
“This was a great game and a great team win,” Zell said. “We were able to spread the ball around and get things clicking on both sides. It was a lot of fun to accomplish this with the guys around me.”
Click here for Tessie Robinson’s photo album from the Heritage-Berkeley game
Moreau Catholic 34 Irvington 14
The Mariners built a 27-0 halftime lead over the Vikings, in the Mission Valley Athletic League for both teams, and cruised in the second half for the victory.
Jullen ‘Booda’ Ison opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game, and scored once more on the ground at the end of the first quarter. That was when Moreau Catholic (4-1, 1-0 MVAL) really pulled away, as Jordan Seiden got the ball back for the Mariners on an interception, and quarterback Kenry Jourdan hit Josh Pullum for the 22-yard scoring pass less than two minutes later.
Ison extended the lead to 27-0 midway through the second quarter on his eight-yard scoring run, his third touchdown of the night, and Jourdan made it a short night for the starters when he hit David Hector for a scoring pass on the Mariners’ opening drive of the second half.
The Mariners have a bye next week, while Irvington (1-3, 0-1) faces Tennyson.
Miramonte 57 Alhambra 25
The host Matadors dominated this match-up of former Diablo Foothill Athletic League rivals, who are now housed in opposite divisions of the Diablo Athletic League, winning 57-25.
Alhambra (2-3) actually scored first, taking a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter, and an 11-yard scoring pass from Daymyn Blalock to Daniel Boyd gave the lead back to the Bulldogs early in the second quarter, 10-7. That was when it became all Miramonte (5-0), as the Matadors scored 44 unaswered points over the remainder of the second quarter and through the third quarter.
Tim Tague hit Will Cassriel on a scoring pass with 9:13 left in the second quarter to open the floodgates. Nick Foster then went 60 yards on an interception return for a touchdown, breaking numerous would-be tackles along the way before sprinting down the right sideline, and it was a 21-10 Matadors lead.
Nolan Brown snagged another interception later in the second quarter, and Tague capitalized by scoring himself. Henry Marken’s 25-yard field goal just before half made the score 31-10 at the break.
Peter Stehr scored three times in the third quarter, on a 57-yard pass from Tague, and a pair of touchdown runs, putting the game well in hand for Miramonte with a 51-10 lead at the end of the three quarters.
Tague finished the game 19-of-30 passing for 293 yards and three scores, while Stehr had 166 yards from scrimmage to go with his three touchdowns.
Rancho Cotate 63 Montgomery 21
Rancho Cotate trailed briefly in the second quarter of its game with Montgomery, 21-14, before scoring the final 49 points of the game.
Jake Simmons’ second touchdown pass of the game, 38 yards to AJ Vallegos, tied the game with 7:45 remaining in the first half, but the Cougars were far from done in the first half. Elu Guerrero scored on back-to-back touchdown runs, from 46 and 28 yards out, to extend the lead to 35-21 with 2:55 left in the second quarter, and Simmons hit Jaelen Ward from 16 yards away to give Rancho Cotate a 21-point lead at the break.
The Cougars defense started the third quarter on the right foot, picking the ball off and handing it to the offense at the Montgomery 34-yard line. Simmons then hit Logan Reese for the 34-yard score, his fourth and final touchdown pass of the night.
Ryan Phillips later threw a touchdown pass to Peyton Whetstone in the third quarter, and Ryan Matteri finished the scoring with a two-yard run early in the fourth quarter, which was played with a running clock. Whetstone also scored twice in the first quarter, on a 23-yard run and an 11-yard reception from Simmons. He also finished the game with 199 rushing yards.
Clayton Valley 47 Deer Valley 0
The visiting Eagles ended both teams’ non-league schedules on a very different note, shaking off a sluggish start to roll past the host Wolverines.
Clayton Valley did not get on the scoreboard until 16 seconds remained in the first quarter, but Dre White broke the scoreless tie with his two-yard run, and the floodgates opened. Mekel Ealy made it 14-0 six minutes later, and three minutes after that, Zia Rahmany extended the lead to 21 points. It looked like that might be the halftime margin, but Dino Marraccini added one more score in the first half, with 56 seconds remaining in the second quarter, and the Eagles led 28-0 at the break.
James Teofilo added a third quarter touchdown, while both Sebastian Deisieh and Kenny Gardner scored in the final period of play.
Both teams now head into their bye week before beginning league play.
