In a homecoming competition that was delayed due to poor air quality, the Cougars beat rival Miramonte 38-20, on Monday evening, October 16.

The game was originally scheduled for October 13.

As all outdoor sporting activities from October 10-13 were canceled due to smoke from the North Bay fires, the Campolindo football team held a morning practice the day of the game.

“We knew that they weren’t practicing, as well as us, so all it came down to was the mental game,” said senior running back Shun Ishida, who scored 2 touchdowns against the Matadors.

Even though the unpleasant air quality put the team in a rough position, coach Kevin Macy said the team was doing everything it could to “keeping spirits up.”

“[Coach Macy] is so superstitious, and he’s got all the football gods and stuff, and then this comes in with the air quality [last] week, which has been such a crazy thing,” said Isida, who also added that there was a lot of tension.

“This is our first Homecoming game against a rival. Usually the district doesn’t like to do that. They like to bring the tension away from homecoming games, so it’s [usually] never against Miramonte or Acalanes,” added Ishida.

Macy said, “For as long as I know this rivalry has been going on for the past 22 years, and we really want to come out and win this game.”

Quarterback John Torchio, who passed for 2 touchdowns and rushed for 1, said, “We only practiced 1 time for the game, so that was kind of weird. [On October 15] we had a players-only meeting at someone’s house just to get our minds right before the game.” 

The team was mentally locked in, according to Torchio. “I thought our game planning was really good, Coach Macy’s game planning, and we ran the ball really well tonight which was good,” he added. 

“The air quality took a huge toll on us, but we definitely didn’t let that make the team lose sight on the game,” said Macy.