Almaden Resident

Sports

Trailer, Leland spoil Mt. Pleasant homecoming

By Mike Barnhart

A trailer pulling the junior class float got stuck in a stadium entryway and effectively sacked Mt. Pleasant's homecoming ceremony at halftime of last Friday night's football game with Leland. Then the visiting Chargers' running attack got stuck in high gear.

Led by senior backs Lance Gemette and Adam Ondi, Leland racked up 40 second-half points and turned a tight, two-point game into a 54-18 victory. The win left the Chargers (5-0) unbeaten in the Blossom Valley Athletic League's Santa Teresa Division and effectively dropped Mt. Pleasant (2-3) out of contention for the division title.

Heading into this week's home game against Evergreen Valley, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Leland holds a one-game lead over Santa Teresa (4-1) and a two-game margin over Evergreen (3-2) and Silver Creek (3-2). The Chargers conclude their division schedule at Silver Creek on Nov. 9.

Gemette, who scored two of his four touchdowns in the first quarter, quickly put Leland on the scoreboard again in the third period. After Ondi swept right end on the Chargers' first scrimmage play 66 yards to the Mt. Pleasant 5-yard line, Gemette bolted into the end zone on the next play.

Moments later, a bad center snap sailed over the Mt. Pleasant punter's head and set up the Chargers with great field position inside the MP 10. Junior Kevin Krail's 5-yard touchdown romp increased the score to 27-12.

Before the end of the third quarter, Gemette scored his 16th touchdown of the season on a 3-yard run, increasing the margin to 33-12. Gemette's scoring run was set up by an interception and return up the left sideline by junior defensive back Nate Jones.

Leland's backs continued to run the ball hard in the fourth quarter. Ondi, junior quarterback Ricky Battipede and junior back-up Zeyad Zaky all broke loose for touchdowns. Zaky carried the ball just once, but busted it for a 57-yard score. Battipede kicked extra points after each score.

Gemette packed the ball 12 times for 114 yards and was on the receiving end of a 22-yard scoring toss from Battipede, who attempted only one other pass in the game. But, when your running game produces 460 yards on 39 carries, who needs to pass?

Ondi led the way with 215 yards on 13 carries, including his 39-yard scoring bolt through the left side of the line. Krail gained 39 yards on seven rushes.

Linebackers keyed the defense, as juniors Michael Ledeit (14) and Jeff Sommer (12) were the leading tacklers. Ondi made nine tackles and recovered a fumble. Joe Peera also made nine tackles, Brighton Scala had eight and Gemette, R. J. Singer and Anthony Sunseri contributed seven hits apiece. Shay Taylor, Daniel Schroeder, Krail, Paul Barota, Roland Li, Tyler Beigibing and Jon Erickson all made their presence felt on defense.

The 54-point outburst marked the fourth game in a row that the Chargers scored more than 30 points. Previously, they tallied 35 against Westmont and 42 against both Gunderson and Del Mar.