Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Los Gatos flanker Joey Warren races for some of the 60 yards he gained in Friday night's 33-6 win over Leigh. Warren scored the first Gatos touchdown on an 18-yard run.

Wildcats power to victory

Belsheim, O'Gorman lead charge for Cats

By Dick Sparrer

Mike Belsheim didn't gain a single yard for the Los Gatos football team on Friday night against Leigh.

Neither did Ryan O'Gorman.

But because of the two of them, the Wildcats gained plenty of yards and rolled to an impressive 33-6 win over the Longhorns.

Los Gatos ran up 353 yards on the ground and cruised to their second straight victory, largely because of the dominating play of the two offensive tackles.

"They have really dominated two football games," said Los Gatos coach Butch Cattolico, referring to the play of Belsheim and O'Gorman in wins over Leland and Leigh.

"(Belsheim) is really, really playing well," said the coach of the 6-foot-4, 309-pound senior. "He's just playing at a whole different level."

"And (O'Gorman) has really blossomed," said Cattolico of his other tackle, a 6-foot-5, 232-pound senior who was converted from tight end this fall. The two lead the charge in the Los Gatos offensive line that has played so well in the first two weeks of the season, especially last Friday night against Leigh.

"They did a great job," said Cattolico of his line. "There were some nice holes to run through up there."

Helping to create those holes for the Cats were center Nick Cisowski, tight ends Ben Winkelman and Jared Allen, and guards Brandon Chapatte, Nick McAlpine and Rick Esparza.

And running through those holes were some pretty quick backs who combined to run up over 350 yards in the win.

Justin Narragon led the Gatos running attack with 22 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

"Narragon played a lot better this week," said Cattolico of his star tailback. "He broke a lot of tackles."

Supporting his effort was Derek Smith, who carried 15 times for 86 yards and a touchdown, and Joey Warren, who ran six times for 50 yards and a TD.

Quarterback Matt Torres had a 42-yard run to set up a touchdown on his only carry, and Kyle Shaffer ran four times for 29 yards. Fullback Vince Caviglia carried three times for 18 yards, and Nick Skrabe ran once for five yards.

"We ran the ball really well," said Cattolico.

But pleased as the coach was with his club's running game, he was equally pleased with the defensive effort.

"We took away a lot of the things we wanted to take away," he said, "and we got after their quarterback a little bit."

Leigh finished the night with 145 yards on the ground, but 95 of that came in the fourth quarter when the game was virtually decided.

Briston Lowry led the defensive assault with 10 tackles, including three quarterback sacks. Skrabe, Allen and Willard were each in on eight tackles, and Willard and Allen each recovered a fumble.

Winkelman and Smith got in on seven tackles apiece, and Smith forced the fumble that Allen recovered.

Mike Vyhnal was in on five tackles, with Scott Soucy, Geoff Sholly and Caviglia in on four each, Brian Edwards and John Glage three apiece,Warren, Jon Espe, Ryan Callahan, Shaffer and Esparza two each, and Bret Maryon and Dan Kramer one apiece.

A 15-yard toss from Trent Edwards to Smith on a third-and-11 on the first Gatos possession of the night really got the Cats going.

Narragon had back-to-back runs of 14 yards, then Warren broke an inside reverse 18 yards for a touchdown. Ben Frazier kicked the first of three extra points, and the Cats were up 7-0.

It was the second period when Gatos scored again. Narragon, Warren and Smith carried the ball down the field with Narragon going the final two yards for the TD.

Willard recovered a fumble to set up the first LG touchdown in the second half.

A 42-yard run by Torres put the Cats in position for their next score. Narragon plunged over from the one for his third touchdown of the night.

Smith broke one 30 yards for a touchdown in the final period to give the Cats a 33-0 lead.

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