Cats take big step with win against Milpitas Trojans on Friday night

By Dick Sparrer

Los Gatos did not win the football championship in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last Friday night.

But those Wildcats certainly took a rather large step in that direction with a hard-earned 21-14 over Milpitas.

The Wildcats and Trojans were the last two undefeated teams in the division heading into the game. Now it's just the Wildcats.

"The kids played real well," said Gatos coach Butch Cattolico after the important victory. "It probably shouldn't have been as close as it was."

"It was close enough to keep everyone's heart beating," he said. "But it was closer than it should have been--turnovers played a fairly big part of the game."

Gatos outgained Milpitas 470 yards to 190, but turnovers plagued the Wildcats deep in Trojan territory.

"We were inside their 20-yard-line five times and didn't score," said the coach. "We spent a lot of time down by their goal line, but we just couldn't put them away until we finally popped a run."

The run was a 30-yard touchdown dash by Joey Warren with 5:45 left in the game. The TD put the Wildcats up 21-7, but Milpitas would score one more time to make a game of it.

The Trojans cut the lead to 21-14 when they scored with 4:01 left in the game, and they managed to get the football back for one final attempt with just over a minute to play.

Milpitas tried a pass over the middle but Markus Willard was there to pick it off for the Wildcats. Gatos ran out the clock for the victory.

Los Gatos improved to 8-0 for the year and to 4-0 in the division with the win. The Wildcats will be back home this week to host Saratoga on Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m., at Helm Field in a game that will be televised on Bay TV.

The Wildcats' eighth win was their closest of the year by far.

"They came after us pretty good," said Cattolico. "They were bringing seven guys most of the time."

Still, junior quarterback Trent Edwards managed to complete 10 of 15 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown, and Derek Smith was able to scamper for 133 yards and a TD.

It was Smith who scored first for the Wildcats in the win, but only after the Trojans had taken the early 7-0 lead.

Milpitas took advantage of a Los Gatos fumble to gain possession in the first period, and the Trojans moved in for a score.

Gatos came right back, though. A 53-yard pass from T. Edwards to Warren set up a 4-yard TD run by Smith. Anthony Frangadakis kicked the first of three extra points, and the game was tied 7-7.

The Cats stopped the Trojans cold after the kick off, then moved right back down the field. But they came up short on a fourth and one at the Milpitas 14.

Once more the Gatos defense stopped Milpitas, and this time the offense moved in for a second-quarter touchdown.

Smith carried twice for 12 yards before T. Edwards found Brian Edwards for 45 yards and a score.

The Wildcats got the ball back one more time before the half and the Edwards duo hooked up for 26 yards down to the Milpitas three. With just seconds remaining in the half, the Cats attempted a field goal, but Frangadakis' attempt was blocked and Gatos would have to settle for a 14-7 lead at intermission.

Los Gatos dominated the third period, allowing Milpitas just 21 yards rushing and no pass completions. But an interception and a fumble stopped two LG drives.

B. Edwards picked off a pass early in the fourth quarter and returned it to the Milpitas 30. On the next play, Warren took a reverse 30 yards for the touchdown that made it 21-7.

Smith led the ground show with 24 carries for his 133 yards. Warren added 36 yards on four tries and fullback Nick Skrabe carried three times for 18 yards.

The coach praised the work of guard Nick McAlpine and tackle Nick Crafford up front offensively.

"Most of our success came running to their side, or trapping back from their side," said Cattolico of McAlpine and Crafford.

T. Edwards completed the 10 passes in the game, hitting B. Edwards four times for 118 yards, Smith three times for 46 yards, Warren twice for 59 yards and Geno Gingery once for 18 yards.

"Defensively we played extremely well," added the coach.

Willard picked off two passes and was in on six tackles for the Cats and B. Edwards had the interception and four tackles.

Mike Vynhal led the Cats with 12 tackles and Skrabe was in on nine. Ken Heimer had a quarterback sack among his eight tackles and "played a real good football game," said Cattolico.

Matt Newell was in on seven tackles in what Cattolico called "probably his best game of the season, and Jon Espe had a fumble recovery to go with six tackles.

John Glage got in on six tackles before leaving the game with a dislocated hip. The senior is likely lost for the season.

Jason Rosa had a QB sack among his four tackles and Scott Soucy got in on four tackles.

Matt Johnson had three tackles and Warren, Smith, Gingery, Travis Howell and Evan McDonald were others in on tackles in the 21-14 win.

"It never felt like the game was that close," admitted the coach. "It just felt frustrating."

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