WALNUT CREEK – Every Acalanes defender on the field and each Don stuck watching on the sideline stood perfectly still as Campolindo’s 41-yard field goal attempt cut through the frigid East Bay air.
“Time seemed to slow down at that point, and at first I thought it was going in,” Acalanes running back Josh Elerts said.
Even as it touched the ground with zeroes showing on the clock, not a soul from the Lafayette program dared to move, frozen in place until the officials signaled “no-good.”
Jubilant players jumped into the arms of their ecstatic classmates and joyous family members rushing the field as the Dons celebrated a thrilling 20-17 victory to capture the North Coast Section Division III title at Las Lomas high school on Friday night.
“Oh my gosh, this feels so amazing,” Dons lineman Bethel Imasuen said. “I didn’t think we’d make it this far.”
Campolindo kicker Zach Tabibian (6) and place holder Reed Norton (9) fail to convert on a field goal in the last seconds of the fourth quarter against Acalanes in a North Coast Section Division III football championship at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Acalanes would go onto win 20-17. (Anda Chu for the Bay Area News Group)
For the Lafayette program, which will be assigned its NorCal division and opponent on Sunday, the program’s second consecutive NCS title could not have come against a more worthy foe.
The Dons had already beaten the Cougars in the regular season 21-12 to snap a four-game losing streak to Campolindo, and the championship rematch proved that it was no fluke.
“This sets a precedent, especially for the younger guys coming up, that this isn’t a team that we just lose to every year,” said Elerts, who ran for 146 yards on 28 carries. “This is a team we can beat.”
Quarterback Tyler Winkles and receiver Finley Rivera, two sophomores who spent last year honing their skills on the freshman team as the varsity captured a NCS D-IV title in 2023, connected tor two touchdowns.
The second one came on a 24-yard crosser with 4:37 left in the third quarter, giving Acalanes a lead it would not relinquish. But the two also came up huge in the scoreless fourth.
Rivera filled in for the injured Niko White in the slot and helped the Dons burn even more precious time on a late-game drive with a clutch 24-yard catch down the seam. After the drive stalled out, Winkles nailed a punt that pinned Campolindo inside the 20-yard-line with a minute to play.
Campolindo made it to the 35-yard line after a series of pinpoint throws by Habas, but the final drive of Campo’s season drive came up empty.
“We only had two starters back on offense and defense, so these kids had to learn quickly,” Acalanes coach Floyd Burnsed said. “And we have a great sophomore class who really helped this group.”
Acalanes’ Brody Darin (0) and David Roux (23) celebrate their 20-17 win over Campolindo in the North Coast Section Division III …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
