Entering El Camino play last Friday, there were three undefeated teams. Fremont, enjoying its best league start since 1996, was sitting at 3-0, just one-half game ahead of Los Altos and Santa Clara.

But, at night's end, only two remained unbeaten. Unfortunately for the Firebirds, they are the ones now hoping for help. Los Altos jumped all over them, 49-6 at Diesner Field.

One of the few Fremont highlights was a 17-yard touchdown hook-up between quarterback Jason Custer and receiver Juan Arce in the second quarter. By halftime, Los Altos was rolling, 35-6.

Fremont hopes some help can come this weekend from either Monta Vista or Lynbrook.

After the Firebirds (3-1, 4-3 overall) travel to the other end of Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road for a non-league tussle with Saratoga Friday afternoon, they will root for Monta Vista to score a homecoming win over high-scoring Santa Clara. The Matadors are 1-2 after a 21-7 win over Lynbrook (0-4). The Firebirds' next El Camino opponent will be Lynbrook on Nov. 4, but they will cheer for the Vikings against Los Altos this Saturday afternoon.

Fremont likely will cheer against Los Altos on the next Saturday also, when the Eagles and Santa Clara are scheduled to collide. A Santa Clara win against Los Altos, coupled with a Fremont victory over Santa Clara on Nov. 11, could create a three-way tie for first place.

Wilcox wallops Homestead

A week after watching Mountain View roar past them with 34 second-half points, the Homestead Mustangs were hit hard with 27 first-half points by unbeaten Wilcox. They never recovered, and the host Chargers (3-0, 7-0) easily won 41-7.

Homestead senior Jay Atkins, who had an 80-yard touchdown run and 216 yards of total offense against Mountain View on Oct. 14, accounted for the Mustangs' lone TD at Wilcox.

The Mustangs, now 1-3 in the De Anza Division and 3-4 overall, return to Diesner Field on Oct. 28 to take on Los Gatos (2-1, 5-2).

Smith, Knights run over Harker

There were no last-minute surprises for The King's Academy football team on Friday night. Senior running back Matt Smith made sure of that.

Smith romped for 104 yards and three touchdowns--all in the first half--as the Knights ran over a short-handed Harker squad, 42-0, under the lights on TKA's Sunnyvale campus.

"He's not very big, but he's just nails, tough and quick," coach Ron Kellner praised the 5-foot-7, 150-pounder, who packed the ball just five times but scored on runs of 20, 26 and 47 yards. "He has been a good captain and leader for us."

The victory improved the Knights' Bay Football League record to 2-1 and their overall mark to 4-1-1, heading into Saturday afternoon's crucial game against rival Sacred Heart Prep (2-2 in league) in Atherton.

A week earlier, senior Paul Montoro's one-yard run with just 22 seconds to play appeared to be a game-clinching touchdown against Berean Christian of Walnut Creek, but it wasn't. A Berean player returned the ensuing kick-off for a 93-yard touchdown and a 28-27 victory.

Kellner expects another close game at Sacred Heart. Although the Gators suffered a 24-14 setback last Saturday to St. Elizabeth of Oakland, a team that King's beat 12-6 on Oct. 6, Kellner said, "They are definitely the favorite against us, because we had to play our best game ever to beat St. Elizabeth, and we have lost two key linemen since then."

TKA's biggest player, 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior Peter Trinko, was injured during a practice and is out for the season. The team's best lineman, two-way senior tackle Larry Barsocchini, was injured in an earlier game, then came back and was re-injured.

"Perhaps he will be cleared to play against Sacred Heart," Kellner surmised, "but he most likely will miss practice all week. And the line is where we get thin real quick."

Smith and company made quick work of Harker, an injury-riddled team that suited up " just 17 or 18 players," according to Kellner.

Junior Steve Lim's 21-yard run accounted for Kings' first score. Then Smith took over, rushing for the Knights next three touchdowns. Josh Payne's 12-yard TD gave the Knights a 35-0 lead at halftime.

Montoro capped the scoring in the third quarter with a two-yard bolt. Junior David Maemone, who entered the game with six successful PAT kicks under his belt, converted six more against Harker.

Quarterback Sam Sussman passed just one time in the game, connecting with junior Joe Ojeda for a 10-yard gain. Meanwhile, seven Knights rushed the ball for a total of 271 yards. Junior Jordan Martin ran six times for 37 yards.

Kellner cited the defensive play of senior Andrew Vazquez, who had four tackles and an interception. Junior Chris Gelbach and seniors Marcus Solis and Daniel Milton all made quarterback sacks.

Milton was one of the defensive standouts against Berean, making eight tackles. Montoro was the team leader from his linebacker post with nine tackles. John Glasgow and Payne made five stops apiece, while Jesse Haff and Vazquez added four each.

Lim was the top ground gainer in the Berean game, racking up 161 yards on 14 carries. He earned 98 of them on one long touchdown run in the third quarter. Smith rushed 16 times for 145 yards and one touchdown.