The MVHS varsity football team defeated the Los Altos Eagles on Friday night, with a final score of 42-13 in their final game of the season, allowing them to advance to the division four CCS. The Spartans first playoff game is this upcoming Friday, November 10 against Burlingame high school.
Spartan senior running back Arturo Hernandez and senior wide receiver Lex Silver began the game by scoring two touchdowns, making the score 14-0.
The Eagles, on their third drive of the game, failed to spark any offensive momentum, punting the ball away to the Spartans with five minutes left in the first quarter.
The Spartans continued their offensive success on the first play of the drive with a long run by Hernandez to put the Spartans in around the 30 yard line.
The drive finished with a 29-yard passing touchdown to senior Vilami Sekona, increasing the Spartans’ lead to 21-0.
As the Eagles offense looked to gain momentum nearing the end of the first quarter, Silver intercepted a throw by the Eagles quarterback and ran the ball down to the 15-yard line on the play.
The Spartans finished the quarter with another touchdown by Hernandez, making the score 28-0.
The second quarter began with strong defense by the Spartans and Eagles both forcing multiple turnovers. With three minutes left in the first half, Silver continued his impressive game with a 55-yard receiving touchdown, increasing the Spartans’ lead to 35-0.
In the Eagles’ final drive of the quarter, the Spartans defense came through with a sack and fumble recovery on the same play.
The Spartans put a final stamp on the second half with another touchdown by sophomore Brigham Robinson, putting the Spartans up 42-0.
“Everyone was just locked in together and we all knew that this might have been our last game,” Hernandez said.
Los Altos received the second half kickoff, but due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on the Spartans, the Eagles would start the drive at the 35-yard line.
However, the Eagles were still unable to score, turning the ball over to the Spartans.
The third quarter finished with the Eagles scoring their first touchdown of the game with 32 seconds left on the clock, bringing the score to 42-7.
The Spartans’ offense failed to gain momentum, turning the ball over again to the Eagles.
On the ensuing drive, the Eagles’ offense came out strong, pushing the ball up to the 5-yard line before scoring their second and final touchdown of the game.
While it was only in the third quarter, the game ended and the Spartans took the victory by mercy rule, with the final score of 42-13.
MVHS Head Coach Tim Lugo addressed how the passing of Lucinda Daniels, mother of running back Dillon Daniels, affected the team this season.
“After everything that happened week one with Dillon [Daniels] and his family, to watch these guys come together and battle through adversity that high school kids shouldn’t have to battle through and to watch them smile here tonight made it all worth it,” Lugo said.
