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Photograph by Chad Pilster
Oh, Pioneers: Pioneer tight end Travis Murdock goes up over Willow Glen's Shane Lamar for a catch in last Friday night's 42-0 Pioneer victory over the Rams. Murdock's catch went for 56 yards and set up Pioneer's second touchdown of the night.
Rams fall to Mustangs
By Dick Sparrer
Willow Glen versus Pioneer... it's a football rivalry that has spanned the better part of four decades.
And it's never been any more intense than it's been in the 1990s when one or both of the schools have been in contention for a division championship virtually every year.
In fact, in two of the 10 seasons of the '90s, the Rams and Mustangs battled it out with the winner edging out the loser for the division championship.
That wasn't the case this year. Pioneer had already locked up the championship in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League prior to the start of the Friday evening game at PAL Stadium.
But that didn't make the match-up any less intense for the teams that have enjoyed a friendly rivalry that dates back to 1960.
Because the game was important for the two schools that are separated by only a few miles of the Almaden Expressway. Pioneer needed a victory to complete a clean sweep of the division race, and Willow Glen needed a win if the Rams had any hopes of avoiding a losing record in the league season and overall.
As it turns out, the Rams will not come out winners in 1999.
Pioneer rolled to a 42-0 victory on Friday under the lights at PAL to complete a 6-0 finish in the Santa Teresa Division. The Mustangs, 7-2 for the year, will wrap up the regular season at home on Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m., against Lincoln before moving on to the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The Rams finish up the year on the road when they visit Piedmont Hills on Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. Willow Glen takes a 1-4 league record and 3-6 overall mark into the game against the Pirates.
Willow Glen dominated possession of the football last Friday, running 58 offensive plays to just 22 for Pioneer. But the Mustangs scored quickly, and they scored often on the road to the victory. In fact, Pioneer scored touchdowns on six of those 22 plays.
The Rams seemed to get off to a good start against Pioneer when they moved the sticks for a couple of first downs on runs of 21 and 10 yards by Leon Thomas.
That drive stalled, but the Rams stopped Pioneer cold after the punt, thanks to key defensive plays by Robert Gonzalez and Kyran Warren.
The Rams were stuck deep in their own territory following the Pioneer punt, but David Macchi tossed 12 yards to Will Rideau for another first.
Once more the drive stalled, and the Rams set up to punt. But Josh McDonnell shot through to block the kick, and Jeremy Lowry recovered for the Mustangs at the Willow Glen 16.
Mike Wiens took off for 12 yards on the first play, then after a penalty, Jacob French dashed nine yards for a touchdown, getting a big block from guard Nick Davalle. Kyle Terry kicked the extra point, and the Mustangs led 7-0. It would be a lead they would never lose.
Macchi then led the Rams on their best drive of the night. The Rams started at their own 24 after the kickoff and drove to the Pioneer 16 before the Mustangs stepped it up defensively.
Three Macchi tosses to Al Rideau for 29 yards, three Thomas runs for 17 yards and a 5-yard run by Adam Copas helped move the Rams down the field.
A personal foul call against the Mustangs and a 7-yard Macchi pass to W. Rideau gave the Rams a first down at the Pioneer 16.
But Landers Niven shot through for one of his three quarterback sacks on the next play, and Tim Scheffer picked off Macchi's next pass to end the threat.
Scheffer made it hurt when he went on top to senior tight end Travis Murdock for 56 yards. French went 24 yards for the touchdown on the next play, and Terry's kick made it 14-0.
A 24-yard pass from Macchi to Shane Lamar took the Rams to midfield, but Sean Hallihan and Scheffer hit Lamar for a 5-yard loss, and Niven and Shane Esposito double-teamed Macchi for a sack to force Willow Glen to punt the football.
Scott Wallberg got this punt away, but Brian Davis ran it back 52 yards to the Willow Glen 8. Scheffer tossed to Wiens for a touchdown on the next play, and Terry's third kick gave the Mustangs a 21-0 lead at intermission.
Pioneer moved in for a score on its first possession of the second half. Davis returned the kickoff 52 yards to the Willow Glen 37, and a couple of runs by Wiens for 18 yards, offset by a 15-yard clipping penalty, set up a 38-yard scoring toss from Scheffer to Davis.
That's when things really began to unravel for Willow Glen. The Rams ran four plays, but turned the ball over on downs at their own 40.
Terry ran twice for 13 yards, then Wiens went for 7 more before breaking a 20-yard run for a touchdown, thanks to another big block by Davalle.
Macchi, who was held to just 72 yards on 10 of 15 passing, then moved out to wide receiver and gave way to junior quarterback Bobby Hobbs. But the strategy didn't help the Rams. Warren went 13 yards for a first down, but once more Willow Glen turned the ball over on downs. And once more the Mustangs answered with a touchdown.
French went 11 yards, then Wiens scored from 30 yards out, and Terry added his sixth extra point kick of the night.
Wiens led all ball carriers with 87 yards on just six carries, and French added 42 yards on four tries. Terry carried three times for 13 yards.
Scheffer completed three of five passes for 92 yards.
Hobbs hooked up on four of eight passes for 45 yards for the Rams, going twice to Macchi for 17 yards.
A. Rideau caught four passes for 38 yards, Lamar snagged four passes for 38, and W. Rideau had four catches for 24 yards.
Thomas led the Willow Glen ground show with 57 yards on 15 carries, and Warren had 28 yards on four tries.
Willow Glen quarterbacks were sacked seven times by the Mustangs.
Niven led the sack parade with three, and Hallihan, Davalle, Sal Baglione, McDonnell, Murdock and Esposito were also in on sacks.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
