At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Matadors were down a touchdown and in the redzone looking to get their first points of the game — they needed to tie the game at seven. Senior Golan Gingold took the snap and fired the ball deep into the endzone. It’s caught — by the other team. The very next play, after the interception, Santa Clara High School’s senior wide receiver Marquise Shields found himself in the opposite end-zone celebrating a school-record 99 yard touchdown.
SCHS’ senior wide receiver hauls in a school record 99 yard touchdown.
In a matter of two plays, the game had swung 13 points in SCHS’ favor, putting the Matadors in an even deeper hole. At the end of the day that hole was one too big for the Mats to overcome, as the team ended up losing 20-6 on Oct. 2.
The Matadors’ offense struggled throughout the course of the game, especially when the team was in position to score.
“I think we made too many mental mistakes which ended up killing our game-plan,” junior Mihir Thakar said.
Such mental mistakes were evident as MVHS turned the ball over three times when in the redzone. The troubles began when the Matadors fumbled the ball inside SCHS’ 20 at the end of the first half. Yet, despite all of the crucial mistakes, MVHS found themselves all squared up with SCHS entering halftime.
That sense of satisfaction changed with the opening kickoff of the second half. Lined up to receive the kick, with hopes of driving down the field and scoring, the Matadors coughed the ball up at their own one yard-line.
With hardly any work left to do, the SCHS offense converted MVHS’ costly mistake into six points.
Like the end of the first half, however, the Matadors still found themselves well within reach of a win even after several mistakes. MVHS’ defense was largely responsible for that. After conceding 28 points or more in each of their last three games, the Matadors’ defense looked to be back on track this game. And they did by holding SCHS to six points through two and a half quarters.
Senior Pranav Iyer forces the game’s first turnover.
Not to mention, the secondary gave little room for SCHS wide-receivers to make big plays. All that changed after SCHS’ aforementioned 99 yard touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
“Plays like that happen mostly when we think nothing’s going to happen,” Gingold said. “We just need to be more alert and more focused coming in and out of plays on defense.”
The Matadors, in response to SCHS’ second touchdown of the night, drove down the field to set up another chance to cut away at the deficit. With five minutes remaining, Gingold spun and juked his way into the endzone for a seven yard touchdown. The score, at that point, was 13-6 for the Matadors
Senior Golan Gingold scores MVHS’ first touchdown of the game.
On SCHS’ ensuing possession, the Matadors defense contained the Bruins, forcing a three-and-out. With a little over two minutes remaining, the Matadors were about to get the ball back with an opportunity to tie the game up at 13 apiece. That opportunity never came, as the Matadors ended up fumbling on the punt return. With great field position, the Bruins scored their third touchdown of the game, all of them coming off of Matador turnovers. The Matadors, facing a 14 point hole at that point, had dug themselves into a hole too big to overcome. Turnovers once again plagued the team.
“It’s not so much the other team that’s beating us, but rather us beating ourselves,” Thakar said.
The Matadors will face Mountain View HS at home on Oct.16 at 7:00 pm.
