Saratoga News
Sports
Bright night for Saratoga football team
By Kevin Sparrer
The Saratoga football team spent last Friday night in the spotlight, in more ways than one.
The Falcons played their first ever true home game under the lights, and they pulled out what turned out to be a hard-earned win over Fremont in the season opener in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.
Saratoga dominated Fremont most of the night on the road to a 41-21 victory on Sept. 29. But there was a small scare in the fourth quarter when Fremont, after trailing 27-0 heading into the last period, scored two quick touchdowns to pull to within 13 points.
The Falcons answered with a couple of scores of their own, and managed to hang on for the victory.
"This was a good win for us," said Saratoga head coach Kurt Heinrich.
"It was fun for us tonight; we've never experienced this before," he added, referring to the home lights.
Senior Jeff Frederickson was the majority of the offense for the Falcons despite having only four carries and one reception. He ran for 119 yards and caught a pass for nine yards. Frederickson broke a 43-yard touchdown run the first time he touched the football for Saratoga, and on his last touch broke another touchdown run, this time for 72 yards right through the center of the Firebird defense.
Senior Brian Dowdle also moved the ball well for the Falcons. Dowdle carried the ball three times for 57 yards. Among those carries, his first was the most impressive when he broke one up the middle 46 yards for a Saratoga score.
The Falcons were working behind an offensive front of tackles Zack Kowitz and David Pignatelli, guards Bryan Dodge and Bennett Rothenberg and center Jake Burne.
Defensively the game belonged to junior Gabe Essner for Saratoga, who dominated the field with 13 tackles. He also caught a pass from senior Danny Miroyan for 20 yards.
Though the majority of the game belonged to Saratoga, Fremont was not without its moments.
Entering the fourth quarter, Fremont went on a 71-yard, eight play drive for a score. On the final play junior quarterback Daunte Mills connected with senior Jonathan Karabats on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 7:35 left in the game. Sophomore kicker Harrison Waid knocked the ball through the uprights to bring the score to 27-7.
The Falcons fumbled on the first play after the kick-off and junior Donny Mena recovered the ball for Fremont on the Saratoga 13.
It took only one play for sophomore Patrick Washington to pound the ball across the goal line for the second Firebird score. Waid kicked the extra point and suddenly Fremont was within striking distance at 27-14 with 7:22 still left in the game.
This time Saratoga answered right back when Frederickson broke his 72-yard touchdown run. Senior Nicholas May kicked the extra point and Saratoga extended its lead to 34-14 with only 6:41 left on the clock.
The Firebirds went deep on the first play and Mills connected with junior Kenny Pope on a 71-yard touchdown pass. Waid kicked the extra point and the score was 34-21 with Fremont refusing to go down quietly.
Saratoga regained control of the tempo of the game and drove the ball slowly down the field. The Falcons drove 56 yards on seven plays before junior Kyle Guengerich ran the ball across the goal line for the final score of the day. Saratoga managed to eat almost four minutes off the clock on the drive, and after May's extra point, Saratoga led 41-21 with only 2:41 left in the game.
Fremont was unable to mount an effective offense after that, gaining only three yards on three plays and were forced to punt. Saratoga ran the clock out and went home with a closer win than intended.
"We were proficient at times," said Heinrich. "We played a lot of kids and this was a good win at home."
Dowdle scored the first touchdown of the day for Saratoga on a 22-yard run with May kicking the extra point. Then Frederickson had the next score with a 32-yard run and May added the point. Sophomore Mat Spencer scored the third touchdown on a 35-yard run and May converted. Senior quarterback Kevin Sieczkarek ran the ball in himself for the fourth score from 48 yards out, but the extra point was blocked by senior Shelton Swopes of Fremont.
Saratoga goes on to play Los Altos on the road on Oct. 7, 1:30 p.m., while Fremont visits Homestead on Oct. 6, 3:15 p.m.
