Paly’s offense struggled through their home opener, but still managed to tame the Burlingame Panthers, 23-6, on Friday.
The Panthers (0-2 non-league) came into the game after narrowly losing to Sacred Heart.
Senior fullback Sione Mataele scored in two of Paly’s three touchdowns, while the new starting quarterback, junior Will Brandin, connected up with versatile senior wide receiver Mike Scott for a 90-yard touchdown play. Senior kicker Tyger Pederson split the uprights for all three of Paly’s extra points. The last two of the Viking’s points came when the Panther center snapped the ball far over the quarterback’s head and into the end zone for a safety.
Mataele and Scott both shone with their usual excellence, each with 102 yards on the game. Scott complimented his yards with a timely interception, which led the Vikings to a Mataele touchdown early in the second half.
Brandin did not have his best game on display, completing eight of 19 passes, and throwing three interceptions. Brandin rushed for a total loss of two yards, but he was successful in passing for an overall gain of 144 yards.
Senior receiver Michael Martin wasn’t able to play due to a pulled hip flexor, but he was vocal from the sidelines. He felt that Paly’s faltering offense was due to the offensive line’s struggling in the trenches, rather than Brandin’s passing.
“Our offensive line just isn’t giving Will enough time to find a receiver,” Martin said during the second half. “He’s just too rushed right now.”
Paly (2-0 non-league) started the game with a 20-yard punt return by junior running back Casey Fields, which was brought back to Paly’s 20 by a holding call on the play. After a sack for no loss and a run attempt, Brandin floated a pass at third and 10. The ball was intercepted by senior Panther Trevor Barhu and returned for three yards.
After acquiring the ball on Paly’s 30-yard line, the Burlingame quarterback was sacked for a loss of five, botched a pass, and was sacked again, this time for a loss of 10 yards. Facing fourth and 20, the Panthers punted.
Once Paly had the ball back on their own 10 yard-line, Mataele surged through the Panther defensive line for a gain of three yards, and Paly senior back James McCollough ran for two more. Then, from his own 15-yard line, Brandin launched a 45-yard strike that hit Scott on the numbers. Scott turned to find nothing but open space between him and the end zone, and he ran it in for the remaining 40 yards to put Paly first on the board with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter. Pederson hit the extra point, and Paly led, 7-0.
In the second quarter, the Vikings and Panthers traded three punts, until Burlingame made a run at scoring with 11 minutes left in the half. From deep in their own territory, the Panthers drove into Paly’s red zone, finally scoring a 14-yard pass into the corner of the end zone. Burlingame’s extra point attempt was about 10 yards short, and Paly still held the lead, 7-6.
After Paly couldn’t move the ball and kicked it away, they forced Burlingame into another punt, and smashed their way down the field on two major carries from McCollough, eventually scoring on Mataele’s barreling 5-yard carry. Pederson hit another extra point, and the Vikings extended their lead, 14-6.
The second half ended without other significant action, but the Paly offense was not finished. And for that matter, neither was their defense.
When asked if the offensive line was the cause for Brandin’s rushed throws, head coach Earl Hansen said they were not.
“No, Brandin was bailing out early when he shouldn’t have,” Hansen said after the game, “He was definitely off his game.”
Despite a few botched opportunities, the Vikings converted enough to keep a safe distance away from the inconsistent but dangerous Panther passing game.
With 7:42 left in the third quarter, the Panthers were backed up within 8 yards of their own zone. A wild snap twice the height of Burlingame’s quarterback resulted in a Paly safety.
Back-to-back interceptions, one by the Panthers followed by Mike Scott’s leaping steal, lead to the Viking’s final drive of the night. An often recurring event, Paly’s long drive culminated in a one-yard, signature Mataele-blast through the Panther line and into the end zone. Pederson’s extra point gave Paly their largest lead of the game, 23-6, with under 10 minutes left to play.
After exchanging numerous punts, the final whistle blew, and the Vikings walked away with a fairly decisive 17-point victory.
Paly was missing two key players in tonight’s game. Junior fullback Sam Tompkins is still out with a torn ACL, and won’t be returning until next season. Martin was out for tonight, but he will be back next week.
Next on the Viking’s schedule is football powerhouse Oak Grove. Paly triumphed over Oak Grove last year in the CCS Finals 23-21.
Scott was already geared up for this major match-up.
“Oak Grove watch out, we’re coming for you next week.”
Paly takes on Oak Grove at home Fri, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.