Photography by Dick Sparrer
Saratoga quarterback Scott Moran gets ready to pitch the football to Devin Schrock (not pictured). Schrock took the fall 11 yards for a touchdown in Saratoga's 38-14 win over Gunderson.
Falcons roll to win over Gunderson
Griffin eats up the 'short field' in win
By Dick Sparrer
Check the rulebook ... a football field is 100 yards long. But the Saratoga Falcons found the field at Gunderson to be much shorter last Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs--thanks to the effort of the Saratoga defense.
Turnovers and Gunderson's inability to move the football in the early going against a tough Saratoga defense helped the Falcons open up a 38-0 lead and roll from there to an easy 38-14 victory.
"When they turn the ball over and we're able to take advantage of a short field like we did, it makes things much easier," Saratoga coach Kurt Heinrich said after the win.
The Falcons scored on their first possession, then the Grizzlies coughed up the football at their own 24 to set up another Saratoga score.
Three plays and a short Gunderson punt later, the Falcons were on their way to a third touchdown, then another fumble set up a Saratoga field goal.
It was a pass interception and long return to the Gunderson 16 that helped make it 31-0 by intermission, and a third fumble helped set up Saratoga's final TD.
The win pushes the Falcons into the CCS Division IV semifinals against Pioneer Nov. 23, 3 p.m., at San Jose City College. Saratoga is now 6-4-1 for the year, and the Mustangs are 6-5 after beating Mountain View 14-7 Friday night.
"They're a good team, and they're physical," said Heinrich of Pioneer. "They play in a tough league, too."
Heinrich is referring to the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, where Pioneer managed a 3-3 finish. Saratoga plays in the equally tough De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.
The Falcons finished strong in league with a win over Gunn, a tie against Palo Alto and a solid effort in a 14-7 loss to champ Los Gatos, and they seemed to carry some of that momentum into Saturday's game.
"I felt confident; I always feel confident going into a game," said Heinrich.
His confidence level, while high, had to get something of a boost with the way the Falcons came out against the Grizzlies Saturday. With running back John Griffin leading the attack, Saratoga came out charging against Gunderson.
Griffin was the workhorse for the Falcons in the winning, carrying 26 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's a grinder," said Heinrich of the junior back. "He's a tough kid. He's strong and fast."
Griffin came out running against the Grizzlies, carrying the ball on Saratoga's first four plays for 16 yards. Then junior Marc Crosby got the ball, and he went straight up the middle for 50 yards and a touchdown.
A.J. Weitsman kicked the first of his five extra points. He also booted a 48-yard field goal, and drilled five of his seven kick offs into the end zone.
It didn't stay 7-0 for long, though. David Lii hammered quarterback James Jones to force a fumble on Gunderson's first play, and Connor Peck recovered at the Grizzlies' 24.
Griffin ran three times for 11 yards, and quarterback Scott Moran went six yards before Griffin took a sweep seven yards to paydirt.
Moments later the Falcons had the fall back after a short Gunderson punt. When it appeared Saratoga had stalled, the Falcons ran a fake punt and Moran tossed a 34-yard strike to tight end Troy Follmar. Three plays later Griffin was diving over for a 1-yard touchdown run, and the Falcons led 21-0 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
It was Follmar and Greg Van Hoesen double-teaming Jones to force another fumble that was recovered by Peck, this time at the Gunderson 34. That set up the Weitsman field goal.
Down 24-0, Gunderson started to move. A 44-yard punt by Devin Schrock pinned the Grizzlies at their own 1, but they drove to the Saratoga 11 in 10 plays. The 11th play proved costly for the Grizzlies, though. Weitsman cut in front of a Jones pass at his own 2-yard line and raced down the sideline 82 yards to the Gunderson 18.
Schrock ended up taking an option pitch around the right side 11 yards for a touchdown, and the Falcons were headed in at the half up 31-0.
That's how it remained until late in the third period when Van Hoesen forced another fumble, this one recovered by Kyle McMullin at the Saratoga 39.
A 26-yard pass from Moran to Schrock, a 16-yard run by Moran and an 11-yard run by Schrock set up Griffin for a 2-yard touchdown blast. Peck, normally a guard, lined up in the backfield to lead Griffin through the hole.
Jones returned the Saratoga kick off for a touchdown to get the Grizzlies on the board. He gave the Saratoga defense fits all afternoon with his shifty, elusive running style.
"When [Jones] starts running around, you just hold your breath," said Heinrich. Jones finished with 98 yards on 17 carries, but he fumbled five times (losing three) and was hit for losses five times.
Gunderson scored one more time late in the game, but the Falcons had more than enough for the victory.
Griffin's 102 yards led the offensive attack for the Falcons. Crosby finished with 55 yards on four carries, Schrock had 40 yards on five tries, and Moran gained 31 yards on five runs. Moran also hit on 2 of 5 passes for 60 yards.
Leading the charge up front for the Falcons were tackles Jon Anderson and Chris Barrett, guards Peck and Van Hoesen and center Justin Oliver.
David Lii was the defensive leader for the Falcons with nine tackles and a pass deflection.
"He piggy backed off a great game against Los Gatos," said Heinrich of Lii.
The coach also praised Van Hoesen, Follmar and Marc Muniz for solid defensive efforts.
Weitsman had eight tackles to go with his big interception, and Muniz had a sack among his seven stops. Follmar (three forced fumbles, two sacks), Van Hoesen (two forced fumbles, a sack), Billy Miroyan (sack) and Schrock were in on six tackles each, Van Hoesen (two forced fumbles) was in on five, and Crosby got in on four.
McMullin, Jeff Lee, Matt Bickenbach, Jonny Miroyan, Moran, Nick Pisano, Chris Kowitz, Matt Meikle, Matt Chabrier and Philip Cheung were other Falcons in on tackles.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
