Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Saratoga running back John Griffin is one of three sophomore starters on the varsity.
Young Falcons fall to Paly
But experience should help Heinrich's crew
By Dick Sparrer
Kurt Heinrich likes what he sees on the football field at Saratoga High this fall.
Now, considering that the Falcons are 3-4-1 in the 2000 season and just 0-4-1 in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, that may come as something of a surprise to most football followers.
But while no coach likes to watch his club lose, Heinrich is pleased with the progress his Falcons are making this year as they gain experience for the future.
"We're a young team, and we're making young team mistakes," said Heinrich after another disappointing loss last week, a 25-22 defeat at the hands of Palo Alto.
"We have three sophomores starting on offense, and that just shows how much our numbers are down," he added. "But we a lot of young guys getting an awful lot of experience."
Heinrich is pleased with the progress that junior quarterback Scott Moran has made this season.
"He's doing a great job at quarterback," said Heinrich of Moran, who ran for two touchdowns and threw for another against Paly last Friday night.
The coach is also impressed with the work of junior wide receiver Devin Schrock, who has just returned to full strength after suffering a hamstring pull earlier in the season, and sophomore running back John Griffin.
Moran and Schrock hooked up for a 57-yard touchdown pass that gave the Falcons the early lead against the Vikings last Friday.
Moran gave the Falcons a two-touchdown later in the first half when he scrambled 10 yards for a score. A.J. Weitzman kicked the second of his two extra point, and Saratoga was up 14-0.
But turnovers would prove Saratoga's undoing.
"The essense of the game was in the third quarter," said the coach. "Three straight times we turned the ball over on our side of the 50."
Paly took advantage of the turnovers to advance to the win, despite a late touchdown by Moran on a 4-yard run. Moran ran in for the 2-point conversion, but the Vikings had enough for a 25-22 win.
Griffin was impressive with 170 yards rushing and the coach was pleased with the work of the offensive line.
The coach praised the work of seniors John Hart and Jon Moshier, junior Connor Peck and sophomores Chris Barrett and Greg Van Hoesen in the interior line and junior Troy Follmar at tight end.
Senior guard Mike Charters has moved from his spot in the line to fullback because of Saratoga's thin ranks in the backfield.
The Falcons face a tough test this week. Saratoga will visit rival Los Gatos on Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m., in a game that will be featured on Bay TV.
"They have a very fine football team," said Heinrich of the Wildcats, who are 4-0 in the division and 8-0 for the year. "They have a lot of tradition and a lot of pride.
Westmont wins
Westmont rolled to a 16-0 win over Willow Glen last Saturday night, but other local football teams each came up losers in area action.
It was a big day for defensive tackle Josh Washington, who fell on a put in the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown and who sacked the Willow Glen quarterback in the zone for a safety in the fourth.
A 30-yard run by Billy Stouffer set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Todd Bethke in the third quarter. Bethke had run in for a 2-point conversion after Washington's score.
Bethke finished the day as the top ground gainer for Westmont with 54 yards and Stouffer was close behind with 53.
Stouffer led the club defensively with seven tackles and he also intercepted a pass. Bethke and Aremon Habibi were in on six tackles apiece and Ben Peterson also picked off a WG pass.
The Warriors improved to 2-3 in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League with the win over the Rams on Saturday. Westmont is now 4-4 for the year.
But Prospect and Lynbrook each lost league games last weekend.
The Panthers fell to 1-3 in the Santa Teresa Division and to 3-5 for the year after a 35-7 loss to Andrew Hill on Saturday, and the Vikings dropped to 1-3 in the El Camino Division and to 2-6 for the season following a tough 20-14 loss to Mountain View.
The Warriors will try to make it two straight when they visit Del Mar on Nov. 3, 2:45 p.m.
Prospect will try to get back in the victory column when the Panthers host Piedmont Hills on Nov. 3, 7:15 p.m., at Westmont. Lynbrook, meanwhile, will visit Santa Clara at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
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