PALO ALTO — History in the making.
Two years after going 0-10, the Gunn football team finished the regular season 10-0 Thursday with a 28-7 win over Jefferson.
It was the first 10-0 season for Gunn since 1971. With the win, the Titans captured the Peninsula Athletic League Lake Division championship and advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Quite a turnaround. After that winless season in Dethrick Slocum’s first year as head coach, Gunn went 3-7 a year ago and then this. Ten wins without a loss.
“It’s beyond gratifying, it’s amazing,” said running back Yonatan Smolyar, who was pressed into heavy duty, carrying 29 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. “I was part of the team when it was 0-10, I was part of the team when it was 3-7. We go 10-0 and make playoffs. We made history, first time in 50 years. I’m just proud of every guy here.”
Smolyar’s family arrived here from Israel in 2018. His older brother Eitan was also a standout running back for the Titans.
“I’d never seen football before,” Yonatan said. “I saw my brother score a touchdown in every game so I wanted to continue my family’s legacy. I wanted to be part of this team, and I love it. I played a little soccer, but football is new. It’s only in America.”
Gunn’s Samuel Dellenbachscores a touchdown against Jefferson on Thursday night in Palo Alto. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Gunn dominated the first half with its power running game. Quarterback JJ Racz got it started with a 57-yard scoring run on the third play of the game. Sam Dellenbach scored on a 2-yard run and then Smolyar, who had 100 yards rushing by halftime, made it a three-touchdown lead with a 12-yard run.
Racz completed only one pass in the game, but it went for a 34-yard touchdown to Andre Lee in the third quarter as the Titans increased their lead to 28-0.
Gunn’s JJ Racz runs with the ball towards the end zone on a breakaway touchdown against Jefferson on Thursday. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Jefferson (7-3, 7-1) broke up the shutout when Robert Saulny-Green, a transfer from Serra playing only his second game for the Daly City school, hit Michael Slugher with a 33-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Racz, a quarterback wearing number 24, gained 82 yards on nine carries as Gunn ran the ball 54 times for 292 yards
The Titans scored 368 points on the season. Even more impressive, they allowed only 31, a remarkable achievement in an era in which scoring has never been higher.
“One week early in the season, I told them a story about when I was playing high school ball (at Roosevelt High in Fresno),” Slocum said. “We had a great defense then. I told them, the headlines read, `The stingiest defense in the league.’ And they just kind of went with it. They come out here and play with a little attitude. These guys are aggressive and understand what we’re trying …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
