Both coaches were right last Thursday night at Cupertino High. In a game that featured four lead changes, Fremont desperately needed defensive end Harold Su's touchdown on a 70-yard interception return in the fourth quarter in order to regain the momentum.

Fremont senior Julius Mills, who carried the ball 24 times for 163 yards, romped 19 yards for a touchdown with 3:42 to go, and the Firebirds hung on for a 26-23 win.

"I was disappointed that we couldn't squeak this one out, but the kids played hard and I'm real proud of them, " Mueller lamented. "We knew this was going to be a tough game, but hats off to Fremont."

Fremont is off to a 3-0 start in league play for the first time since 1996, but it wasn't easy.

"I just knew our defense would have to make a big play some time," Walzcak exhaled after the Firebirds improved their overall record to 4-2, "because for the last four years, Coach Dave Vieira--the living legend--has come up with a plan that stops our offense."

Vieira, the Matadors' longtime defensive coordinator, had to be especially pleased with the way his defense played in the third quarter. Fremont's four possessions ended in three punts and, on the final play of the period, a lost fumble to Monta Vista linebacker Hoo Hong.

Leading Monta Vista's defense were senior defensive lineman Ben Rutter, senior linebacker Nick Burrow and sophomore linebacker Peter Kosulin.

Meanwhile, Monta Vista took advantage of excellent field position to turn a 13-10 halftime deficit into a 16-13 lead.

Moments later, though, the Mats were stopped on a fourth-and-six situation at the 23. Donny Mena made a big play for the Firebirds, stopping an attempted sweep around left end for a five-yard loss. Just two plays later, as time in the third quarter expired, Hong recovered Fremont quarterback Jason Custer's fumble at the Fremont 29.

Trying to build on its three-point lead, Monta Vista immediately was pushed back to the 41 by a holding penalty. But 6-foot-5 junior quarterback Alex Atkins earned seven of those yards back with a pass to Winston Nilumol at the Fremont 34.

On the next play, Atkins went back to pass again. Fremont defensive back Juan Arce blitzed in and grabbed Atkins as he was preparing to throw. While Atkins tried to maneuver away, the ball squirted out of his hand and into the arms of Su.

"As soon as I saw it pop up, I knew I would get it," Su recalled his big touchdown play. "I knew I was going in."

Custer kicked the extra point for a 20-16 lead with 11:05 remaining. Then, after a four-minute Monta Vista drive stalled and ended with a Matador punt, Custer took charge and directed the Firebirds' game-clinching drive.

The back-breaker for the Matadors may have occurred on a fourth-and-1 from Fremont's 30. Instead of punting, Walczak called on his quarterback. Custer then followed center Mark Pariaszevski, bulling his way for five yards and a first down with 5:20 left to play.

"It took a bit of courage to go for it," Walczak admitted, "but Jason is a tough kid."

Mills, who ran for 105 yards during the first half, but had been silenced by the Matadors in the second half, suddenly broke loose for a 17-yard gain. Then Kevin Lincoln came in and ran the same play for 29 yards down to the MV 19. Mills returned and ran the same play for the third straight down, following fullback Cathcart through the right-side blocking of Pariaszevski, Mena and tackle Gene Davis into the end zone.

Fremont had scored first on an 11-yard pass from Custer to Shelton Swoopes with 1:29 left in the first quarter. Matador senior Daniel Hoffman blocked Custer's conversion kick. Monta Vista sophomore Derek Ley's 24-yard field goal on the second play of the second quarter made it 6-3.

Fremont then went on a 12-play, 68-yard drive that consumed more than five minutes, but stalled at Monta Vista's 11-yard line. Custer's 29-yard field goal try fell short, after a fierce rush by Burrow.

Moments later, Monta Vista's Atkins-to-Woo combination clicked for 58 yards on a fly pattern to Fremont's 2-yard line. Kapul ran it in two plays later. Ley's PAT kick put the Matadors ahead, 10-6, with 3:42 left in the half.

Fremont went back ahead just before halftime, as Custer ran the final two yards of a nine-play, 66-yard drive on a fourth-and-goal play. Custer added the PAT kick for a 13-10 lead with just 16 seconds left in the half.

Key plays that kept the drive alive were a 24-yard, Custer-to-Arce pass, a 10-yard run by back-up fullback Rudy Cordero and Mills' 18-yard sweep around the right side.

Custer completed 5 of 12 passes for 73 yards. Arce had four catches for 62 yards. Top tacklers for Fremont were Arce and linebacker R.J. Rivera. Cathcart had an interception late in the first half and junior Patrick Murphy combined with Rivera on a quarterback sack.

The Firebirds can make it four straight with a win over Los Altos (2-0) Oct. 21 at Diesner Field. Mills believes his team can keep it going.

"Last year we had good players but not a good bond," Mills noted. "The team this year has really bonded together."

In De Anza Division play, Homestead lost a high-scoring affair with Mountain View, 48-34. The Mustangs, who dropped to 1-2 in the division and 3-3 overall, play at Wilcox on Oct. 21.

Mustangs outhit Mats

After a slow start, Homestead rallied to defeat host Monta Vista in a battle of El Camino Division girls volleyball.

After Monta Vista won the first game of the best-of-five match, 25-16, Homestead captured three straight to maintain its perfect division mark.

"About one-third of the way through the match, the girls realized that they were just watching Monta Vista play," observed Homestead coach John Milkovich. "Then they played very well in closing out the second game."

The Mustangs won game two, 25-14, then took the next two games 25-21, 25-19. The comeback victory was "an excellent team effort," Milkovich said. "Maddy's passing picked up and Julie played out of her head." He was referring to the performances of outside hitters Maddy Baldwin and Julie Nakamoto, two of seven returning seniors.

Two nights later in their own gym, Homestead improved its league mark to 7-0 and 18-9 overall by sweeping Santa Clara. Meanwhile, Monta Vista bounced back on Oct. 14 with a three-game sweep over visiting Wilcox. With the victory, the Matadors increased their division record to 6-1, a game behind Homestead.

"This is an easy team to coach," Milkovich explained. "With all of the seniors and 10 players back from last year, it's a pretty confident group eager for any challenge."

Senior setter Tina Fukumoto, who Milkovich said "has been solid the whole season," middle blocker Abi Keck, defensive specialists Rachel Nishimoto and Jennifer Irish and serving ace Erica Harris are the other seniors. Two juniors, 5-foot-11 middle blocker Kelly Verstegen and hitter Lauren Gniadek, and 5-foot-10 sophomore Lauren Hoopes also were on the team last season.

Newcomers include freshman outside hitter Katherine Fischer, sophomore middle blockers Justine Wales and Allie Fickett and freshman setter Melissa Cheng.

The Mustangs finished second in the El Camino Division in 2003 and were promoted to the De Anza Division. But a rough 2004 campaign in the top division forced the Mustangs' El Camino return.