Although it was supposed to be a blowout victory, it was also Friday the 13th.
The Campolindo varsity football team played Northgate on their home field on October 13. In the first half, the Cougars offense had 2 fumbles and an interception. Campo’s defense, which had looked so solid all year, was gashed with long passes and screens that turned into big plays after the catch. At halftime, the score was tied at 14. “It definitely was a freaky Friday for us,” said Head Football Coach Kevin Macy.
Since 2004, Campo has bested Northgate in every single game that they have played against each other. Their record, as reported by Maxpreps, against the Broncos is 8-0. But on that evening, the only record that the Cougars were worried about was their season’s. The Cougars were 4-1-1 coming into this game and couldn’t afford a loss to the Broncos. With the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs in the near future, the Cougars need to win the Diablo Athletic League (DAL) in order to secure a spot in the postseason. As the scoreboard read 14-14 at the end of the first half, the Cougars could see their playoff dreams quickly slipping away.
At halftime, the team gathered outside the stadium with Coach Macy. He talked about how in order to come alive in the second half, they needed to start off strong and lean on the jet dive (a staple play in Campo football where a wide receiver comes in motion and takes a hand-off up the middle). The play had already gotten Campo the 2 touchdowns that they had up to that point, so they knew it could work.
Macy’s second half game plan worked to near perfection. The Cougars shut out Northgate and tacked on 3 touchdowns, two of which were on the jet dive. Every single one of those jet dives was taken by senior wide receiver Tim Daugherty.
“I’m just happy coach let me keep running it,” said Daugherty. He more than doubled his touchdown total for this season in this game alone, but the game was in no way a runaway victory, “They were a lot better than their record,” Daugherty added.
The only non-Tim Daugherty touchdown of the night for Campo was by senior fullback and linebacker Sebastien Antonios-McCrea.
“It definitely took us some time to warm up. We struggled a little bit,” Antonios-McCrea said about the game’s first half. He does not think Friday the 13th had anything to do with it.
“I have no superstitions. I don’t have any pre-game rituals. I don’t believe in ghosts. Everything that happens is your responsibility and your obligation to control it,” said Antonios-McCrea, whose touchdown came into the second half.
The Cougars ended up winning by a score of 35-14, keeping their win-streak going in league games. They have 2 regular season games left, against Miramonte and Acalanes, and the team is bracing for stiff competition. Miramonte is currently undefeated, and Acalanes has won ever since a shaky 0-3 start. “We’re going to turn these last games into our playoffs,” said Macy.
