Saratoga News
Sports
Capek, Keating interceptions lead Saratoga to win, semi's
By Dick Sparrer
First-half pass interceptions by seniors Andrew Capek and Matt Keating were key plays for the Saratoga football team in its Central Coast Section playoff game with Monterey last Saturday night--at least at the time.
As it turns out, though, the importance of the two picks paled in comparison to the interceptions the two Falcons came up with in the second half.
Capek intercepted a pass to set up Saratoga's second tournament of the night and Keating picked off a Monterey pass in the final moments of play to help the Falcons get out of Monterey with a hard-earned 14-7 victory over the Toreadors.
With the win, the Falcons advance to the CCS Medium School Division semifinals on Nov. 23, 3 p.m., against Live Oak (7-4).
The Falcons, the No. 6 seed and now 8-3 for the year, defeated Live Oak 14-0 in the second game of the 2007 season.
"We thought they were good then, and they've improved with the competition they've played," said Saratoga head coach Kurt Heinrich of the Acorns. "They're a really good team."
Saratoga's not either, though, and the Falcons proved that last Saturday night with the win over the Toreadors at Monterey Peninsula College.
"It was a thrilling game," said Heinrich the morning after the win. "Our defense won the game for us, and our offense did just enough."
Capek came through with the play of the night that turned the tide in the football game.
"He made a wonderful, one-handed interception," said Heinrich of Capek's pick near midfield early in the fourth quarter. "It was awesome--one of the best plays I've ever seen."
Gabe Essner and Mathew Spencer combined for 26 yards on five carries before Keon Ghafouri took over. The senior broke a power to the tight end side 30 yards for a touchdown, and when Kris Clark kicked his second extra point the Falcons were up 14-7 with 3:37 left to play.
Monterey battled back, moving the ball out to near midfield before Keating came through with second interception of the night, "which basically shut them down," said Heinrich.
Monterey still had three timeouts left, and used them all on three straight Saratoga running plays. On a fourth and one, "we went with a hard count and they jumped," said the coach. "We took a knee and the game was over."
It was the second important fourth-down conversion for the Falcons in the second half.
A 50-yard punt return by Ghafouri had given the Falcons good field position, but they stalled on three downs. Saratoga lined up to punt the ball away, but it was a fake. Casey Farmer took a short snap and threw 35 yards to Alex Wokas.
The Falcons moved down the field on the strength of the running of Essner, Spencer and senior Peter Florence, back for his first game since a hamstring pull sidelined him earlier in the year.
"He was able to get in and spark us," said Heinrich of Florence, who finished with four carries for 40 yards.
Senior quarterback Kyle Guengerich capped the drive when he swept the right side on the option keeper for a five-yard touchdown run.
The Falcons trailed 7-0 at intermission, but it could have been worse had it not been for the interceptions by Capek and Keating.
Capek's first interception came on a throw into the end zone, and Keating's first pick was at the Saratoga 10-yard line.
"At the half, we were really pleased with the way the defense was playing," said Heinrich. "Coach [Kevin] Tanner did a good job getting them ready, and our scheme was good."
"And we decided there was no need to chance anything offensively," he added, "we just had to execute what we had."
The Falcons had spent most of the first half pinned back inside their own 20, and they might have been there again had Ghafouri not come through with the long punt return.
"He just took over," said Heinrich of the senior back. "He was saying during the game, 'Don't worry coach, we're going to win it.' "
Zack Kowitz, Jonathon Yen, Darrek Emerson, Jasper Loren, Steven Walker and Scott McKenzie who joined Capek and Keating as defensive leaders in the win.
