SAN MATEO, CA - Giving up an 81-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half is the type of play that would’ve destroyed the Serra teams of years past.
Not these Padres.
Serra responded to the Valley Christian gut punch with a touchdown barely a minute into the second half and went on to force five second-half turnovers in a 31-14 CCS Open Division II semifinal victory, setting up a rematch with St. Francis next week in the title game.
Malakai Rango’s 63-yard kickoff return to open the second half led to E.J. Lahlouh’s second rushing touchdown of the day, a 13-yard score, and the Padre defense took control from there.
“This is a running team, and they came out and started throwing the ball effectively, so it took time for the gang to adjust,” said head coach Patrick Walsh.
Once Serra did adjust to Valley Christian’s newfound success through the air, they excelled. Nate Sanchez had two interceptions, David Coker and Chris Park each picked off passes as well and Nico Rollandi recovered a fumble as the top-seeded Padres pulled away to reach a second consecutive Open Division II Championship Game.
“I’ve been switched around a lot, and wherever they put me, I’ve stepped up the best I can,” said Sanchez, a sophomore. “I made a few mistakes, but I stepped up in the second half.”
Switching around on assignments isn’t unique for Sanchez. The entire Serra team has shown tremendous versatility, which is all the more impressive when realizing that it’s a group of kids aged 16 to 18, and they’re receiving assignments and play calls from the sidelines, rather than on a headset. The offense seamlessly shifted between spread formations and a vintage double-wing set when Walsh and his staff wanted to chew up clock.
That double-wing set meant Isiah Kendrick finished with just 80 yards, but Lahlouh had 32 rushing yards, power back Davis Vakalahi got a few key carries and Coker racked up 38 yards on just three runs.
While Serra’s offense didn’t put up crazy numbers or any touchdowns longer than 15 yards, the Padres were efficient as ever, converting six of 11 third downs and controlling the line of scrimmage, even with star left tackle Nio Mafi out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Luke Bottari didn’t throw for a touchdown, but he completed 13 of his 17 passes for 155 yards and ran for a one-yard touchdown for the game’s opening score. That touchdown was set up by a 47-yard catch and run by Patrick Nunn, who was Serra’s lead receiver on the day, with five catches for 89 yards.
That being said, Valley Christian (9-3) kept the game competitive throughout, whereas Serra obliterated the Warriors in the second half in their regular season meeting, a 35-7 Serra win.
“Our guys showed a lot more today,” said coach Mike Machado. “I’m proud of our kids. They fought all the way.”
Though the final score read 31-14, each team had multiple drives stopped in the red zone in a game that could’ve easily turned into a shootout. San Jose State commit Charlie Bostic, who was completely shut down in the first meeting, ran for 58 yards on 11 carries in his final high school game.
Perhaps the best thing for Valley Christian was promising play from their QB of the future. After Juan Turner was removed from the game with an injury to the index finger on his throwing hand, sophomore Cory Taylor completed 10 of 24 passes for 258 yards. Yes, he did throw the quartet of interceptions, but all of them were in situations where he was forced to throw high-risk passes to try to close the gap. He also performed well under constant pressure and connected with Alton Julian for a pair of touchdowns, a 32-yard score to cut the Serra lead to 14-7 and the 81-yard strike to end the first half.
“He’s been watching, paying attention and working hard,” said Machado. “It’s not an easy position to come into.”
While the Warriors will have players to replace at many of the skill positions, Taylor will return alongside a young crop of linemen. Taylor and Mitty’s Shamir Bey should make for some exciting games between young quarterbacks in San Jose in the coming years.
Serra (10-2) will aim for a second straight CCS Open Division II title against a third straight WCAL opponent. The Padres won at St. Francis on November 10, 31-21, to claim their first outright league title since 1969. It’ll be Serra’s fifth playoff game against a league opponent in the last two years.
