The Cupertino Courier
Sports
Fremont shocks Monta Vista, 24-21
By BRAD WALL
The Monta Vista Matadors have been storming through the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, while the Fremont Firebirds had been struggling. So heading into their match-up, it appeared as if the Matadors would storm past the Firebirds, too.
On paper, the Matadors should have run away with this game. But that's why they play the games.
Thanks to two defensive touchdowns and a crucial late turnover, the Firebirds held on to shock the Matadors 24-21 in one of the biggest upsets of the year.
Matadors head coach Jeff Mueller dismissed any possibility his team looked past the Firebirds.
"We told everybody that this was a team to be contended with," said Mueller. "The coaching staff at Fremont did a great job with them, getting them ready to play, and we weren't ready to play."
Trailing 9-7 late in the first half, the Matadors marched down the field to the Firebirds 4-yard-line. It appeared as if the Matadors would take control of the game and stay on track for a showdown game against Los Altos on Nov. 9.
However, with 1:03 left in the first half, Firebirds defensive back Kenney Pope stepped in front of a pass intended for Matadors star Marcus Woo at the 1-yard-line and streaked down the sideline for a 99-yard touchdown, giving the Firebirds a 17-7 halftime lead.
The Matadors were finally able to get their ground attack rolling in the third quarter. After fumbling the ball away in the first play of the third quarter, the Matadors defense came up big and intercepted a pass from Kevin Woods at their 10-yard-line.
Thanks in large part to a 53-yard run by Kota Kojima, the Matadors went on a six-play, 90-yard drive in just 2:30 capped by a 22-yard touchdown run by Kojima which cut the deficit to 17-14.
Kojima displayed a lot of toughness throughout the game as he was visibly limping throughout much of the second half.
The Firebirds fumbled away the opening snap of the fourth quarter at the 50-yard-line and the Matadors quickly converted, marching down the field in 12 plays, closing out the drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Woo.
Trailing 21-17, the Firebirds were forced into a quick three-and-out and were forced to punt the ball back to the Matadors.
The Mats received the ball with 5:17 left and methodically marched down the field to the Fremont 30, taking over three minutes off the clock.
It appeared as if the Matadors were about to take control of a game they were supposed to win, however Pope and the Firebirds had other ideas.
Facing a second-and-five at the Firebirds 30 with 2:16 left, Kojima was swarmed in the backfield by a gang of Firebird defenders; the ball bounced out of his hands and into the hands of Pope.
Pope raced down the middle of the field for a 65-yard touchdown as the homecoming crowd erupted in cheers.
In a flash, the Matadors had to switch gears from killing the clock to trying to salvage a victory.
Fortunately for the Matadors, they have one of the biggest playmakers in the El Camino Division in Woo. On the ensuing kick-off, Woo broke tackles, cut back, stutter stepped and sprinted down the field for a 51-yard return.
Set up at the Firebirds 46, the Matadors appeared poised to at least steal a tie.
Once more, though, the Firebirds defense rose to the occasion.
With just 1:37 left at the Firebirds 35, the Matadors tried to set up a screen pass, but defensive lineman Michael Lolling intercepted and rumbled 36 yards to clinch the huge upset victory for the Firebirds.
The Firebirds made a concerted effort to limit Woo--holding him to just 26 yards on eight carries--but that opened things up for Kojima, who had 129 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown.
Quarterback Alex Atkins went 13 for 31 for 238 yards with three interceptions and a 25-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Sambyal, which gave the Matadors a 7-6 lead in the second quarter. Billy Guardino was the receiving star with five catches for 130 yards.
The Matadors will look to rebound as they travel to Wilcox to take on the Chargers on Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
