LOS ALTOS HILLS – St. Francis is taking part in its greatest soccer on the proper time. A six-game profitable streak to shut the common season is a sign of its enchancment.
However the Lancers have extra causes to imagine that they're a a lot better soccer workforce than their tough early begin, specifically the late-season emergence of sophomore working again Kingston Keanaaina and senior linebacker Ofa Tuiileila.
In his first varsity begin, Keanaaina rushed for 190 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns to guide the Lancers to a 35-13 victory over Archbishop Mitty in a West Catholic Athletic League finale at Foothill Faculty on Friday evening.
Although quarterback Matt Dougherty missed his second consecutive recreation with an harm, sophomore Aaron Knapp had a great St. Francis-like passing efficiency, finishing 6 of 9 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
These are the kind of environment friendly numbers typical for a Lancer beginning QB over time, first beneath the legendary coach Ron Calcagno and now beneath his son, Greg Calcagno.
“Our guys up entrance are fairly good,” Greg Calcagno mentioned after the Lancers completed the common season 7-3 general and 6-1 within the WCAL. “We prefer to trip these guys. That’s our signature, that’s who we're. We’re huge and we’re bodily. And we like that.”
Keanaaina had some success towards De La Salle in Recreation Three, with 10 carries for 78 yards, and once more at Valley Christian in Recreation Seven. However accidents early and in the course of the season set him again. His season totals earlier than Friday had been 28 carries for 156 yards with no touchdowns.
Mitty Coach Danny Sullivan mentioned he noticed sufficient of Keanaaina on movie to have an concept of what he might do, however “we misplaced comprise on a variety of stuff and that made it actually tough. That’s what they need you to do.”
Certainly, St. Francis tight finish Ned Righellis was a power in pinning Mitty defenders inside and permitting Keanaaina (5-foot-11, 190 kilos) to get to the sting. However Keanaaina additionally was expert at choosing and selecting his holes between the tackles and blasting by them for large chunks.
“He has actually good imaginative and prescient,” Calcagno mentioned. “He’s sort of a one-cut-and-go man. He’s a workhorse. We can provide it to him rather a lot and he’s going to be all proper.”
Keanaaina mentioned he didn’t see that efficiency coming.
“I felt just like the coaches known as the suitable performs and the linemen executed,” he mentioned. “I simply hit the opening and it occurred.”
Earlier than the sport, Mitty honored its seniors. However the good emotions didn’t final lengthy. After Mitty’s opening sequence ended after 5 performs, the Monarchs tried to punt, just for the kick to be blocked by Matt Mrowka, giving the Lancers the ball on Mitty’s 8-yard line.
On St. Francis’ first play from scrimmage, Keanaaina broke by the road, was tripped, and dived to the purpose line for a landing.
“Senior Night time, you'll want to feed off the emotion,” Sullivan mentioned. “That blocked punt utterly killed it. After which they rating on the following play. What a technique to begin.”
However Mitty clawed again on its subsequent possession and appeared to transform a third-and-14 to the St. Francis 7, just for a block within the again penalty to nullify the primary down and stall the drive. The Monarchs tried a 34-yard area purpose, however Andrew Carrasquillo blocked the kick, resulting in Keanaaina’s second landing, on a 5-yard run.
The ultimate momentum swing got here after Mitty closed to inside 21-7 on back-to-back passes of 24 and 50 yards from Wills Towers to Danny Scudero.
The Monarchs appeared able to shut down St. Francis and regain possession for a closing push earlier than halftime till catastrophe occurred. On third-and-14, St. Francis lined up with three receivers tightly bunched on the left. Considered one of them, Riley Lengthy, pulled again on the snap for a display screen cross, broke a deal with and scored on a 67-yard play to provide the Lancers a 28-7 halftime lead.
Defensively, Tuiileila was a difference-maker. A senior switch from Elk Grove Excessive, the place he missed final season with a damaged collarbone, Tuiileila didn’t actually have a place when he arrived in Mountain View.
He began the season at security and moved into totally different linebacker spots till he settled on the skin, principally as an edge rusher. He had three tackles for loss within the first quarter and compelled a fumble. His efforts helped power the Monarchs out of the run recreation nearly totally. Mitty was held to solely 24 yards on 18 carries.
“Originally of the season, I used to be somewhat hesitant in the best way I used to be taking part in,” Tuiileila mentioned. “However I lastly bought again within the groove.”
Now, after a 1-3 begin towards a brutal early schedule, St. Francis heads into the postseason as one of many hottest groups within the part.
“That’s why we play the groups we play,” Calcagno mentioned. “We weren’t as unhealthy as we thought we had been, and doubtless inferior to we expect we're proper now. However you play actually good groups to seek out out the place you're and what you'll want to work on.”
As for the Monarchs (7-3, 4-3), “Utterly flush it,” was the message Sullivan gave to his workforce after the loss. “We've got a brand new season. Now’s the time to go capitalize.”
