Dons’ Last Minute Score Leaves Cougars Defeated
November 3, 2017
Varsity football fell to Acalanes 35-28 on October 27. Acalanes scored the winning touchdown with 6.7 seconds remaining in the game. The outcome moves the Dons to 7-1 while dropping the Cougars to 6-3 for the season.
Prior to the Dons’ final score the contest had been a back-and-forth affair. “Unfortunately Campo came up on the short side of this, but in terms of [the game itself], it will still go down as one of the most historic games. People who have been here for the past 30 years can’t think of a game this crazy,” said head Campolindo football coach Kevin Macy.
Macy’s team had been particularly excited to play against Acalanes. “A lot of our guys have grown up in Lafayette, so it was really big for them and it was a lot of motivation going into the week,” said senior running and defensive back Shun Ishida.
“There was a really big crowd, so that was pretty cool, and there was a lot of energy,” added quarterback John Torchio.
The Cougars earned an early lead when Torchio rushed for a touchdown at the 7 minute mark. In the 2nd quarter Torchio threw the ball 49 yards to senior wide receiver Parker Windatt for a 2nd score.
Acalanes countered with 2 touchdowns of their own, evening the score at 14-14 as the 1st half expired.
Acalanes senior quarterback Robby Rowell passed to wide receiver junior Chris Rogers for a touchdown to take the lead early in the 3rd quarter. However, Campolindo’s Ishida ran the ball 30 yards to even up the score just a few minutes later.
At the end of the quarter, Torchio intercepted a pass from Rowell to regain possession and keep the score tied 21-21.
In the final quarter, both teams scored again. Rowell threw 24 yards to wide receiver Brain Merken to put Acalanes ahead 28-21, but Torchio passed to senior wide receiver Vincent Mossotti to tie the score for Campolindo with 2:35 remaining in the game.
At Acalanes’ 2nd down and 3, Rowell ran 5 yards to score a touchdown with less than 7 seconds left. Senior kicker Cameron Shapoorian’s extra point succeeded, making the score 35-28.
Campolindo made a last ditch effort with Torchio passing a lateral that was picked up by senior Windatt who ran until being tackled around the 10 yard line.
Acalanes fans immediately rushed onto the field, but the announcer called that the game wasn’t over as a flag had been dropped on the play. Fans were instructed off the field until the officials met and officially announced the end of the game.
“[The officials] were supposed to give us an extra play with the penalty at the end. That gets lost in history with all the kids rushing onto the field. It [the game] is as crazy as it was but it could have been even crazier,” explained Macy.
“They lived up to my expectations; they probably lived past my expectations,” said Ishida of the Acalanes team.
Campolindo faces the Clayton Valley Ugly Eagles on November 3 for Senior Night in their final home game of the regular season.
