In the battle of the Vikings, the outcome was almost a coin flip.

It came down to the final seconds of the match-up, but Paly managed to contain North Salinas’ final drive and hold on to their lead to finish with the 7-0 win at Foothill College Saturday night. Paly safety Will Holder made the miraculous stop to keep North Salinas from tying the game in the last half-minute of play.

Although the Paly football team didn’t show up with their A game on offense, they managed to squeeze through the semi-finals to stay alive in the Central Coast Section (CCS) Tournament. Palo Alto’s senior halfback James McCollough broke through the strong North Salinas defensive line, shattering the scoreless game with a 32-yard run early in the second half.

The Palo Alto Vikings (10-2, 5-1 league) exhibited a solid defense matched by that of the North Salinas Vikings (8-4, 3-3 league), keeping the score low for the duration of the game. Both Viking offenses were plagued by a plethora of interceptions and fumbles.

In the first half, each team turned the ball over 5 times. Paly’s first five drives consisted of an interception, a fumble, another fumble, a second interception, and a third interception. The Palo Alto Viking offense couldn’t control the ball long enough to make a significant drive.

The tone of the game was set late in the second quarter. With six minutes left in the half, Paly junior defensive back Paul Brown made a crucial tackle. A North Salinas running back managed to break through the Paly wall and evade all oncoming obstacles. Brown was the only thing that stood between North Salinas and a six-point lead, executing on a diving tackle at Paly’s own 18-yard line.

But the threat was not yet avoided. North Salinas was as close to scoring as it had been all game, and drove farther inside the red zone to the Paly 9-yard line. When the North Salinas Vikings faced 4th and 1, they made the gutsy decision to go for the first down rather than a field goal. It did not pay off; Paly broke up the pass and regained the ball on their own 9-yard line.

After moving forward a couple of yards, Paly quarterback Will Brandin threw his second interception of the night, returning possession to North Salinas. On the next play, Paly pressure caused the pocket to collapse on the North Salinas quarterback, and Paly defensive back Mike Scott intercepted the wayward pass, running it back 10 yards. The ball slipped out of Scott’s hands as he hit the turf, but was quickly recovered by another Paly defensive back.

Under heavy pressure, Brandin threw his third interception on the very next play. North Salinas couldn’t convert, and the half ended in a deadlock, 0-0.

The beginning of the second half saw more of the same, with fumbles and interceptions scattered throughout. Slowly, both Viking teams began to put together longer drives and gain more first downs.

With eight minutes left in the third quarter, Paly senior fullback Sione Mataele caught a 10-yard pass and broke two tackles on his way to pounding out 20 more yards. The major gain set up McCollough’s touchdown run. In a play-action, Brandin pump-faked a pass and handed it off to the senior running back, who scampered 32 yards into the end zone. Paly’s Tyger Pederson split the uprights, giving Palo Alto the lead it would take to victory, 7-0.

The greatest tension came in the final minute of play. Backed onto their own 5-yard line with just 40 seconds on the clock, North Salinas was running out of options. They needed to move 95 yards and kick an extra point just to stay alive. With first and 10, North Salinas completed a short screen to open receiver senior Mark Ramos, who found a whole and broke through, taking it almost 90 yards before Holder caught him just short of the end zone. Holder was Paly’s last possible defender, and came through with the big stop at Paly’s 5-yard line.

North Salinas then spiked the ball and called a timeout to stop the clock and organize their last offensive blow. At second and goal, North Salinas tried unsuccessfully to force a pass into the end zone. At third and goal, a run for no gain. Finally, at fourth and goal, North Salinas made one last attempt to tie the game, but the Paly defense again was too strong. Overloading one side, the North Salinas fullback was smothered by the Paly defense, forcing yet another fumble. The ball was recovered by Paly senior defensive end Kevin Johnson, sealing the win for the Palo Alto Vikings, 7-0.

Although the inconsistent Paly offense made the game tighter than it should have been, the defense shined, allowing few North Salinas yards and forcing a multitude of turnovers. On offense, Palo Alto senior Jordan Jefferson had a remarkable night. The wide receiver caught 3 passes for 70 yards, putting ample pressure on the North Salinas defense. Scott led the solid defensive work, contributing timely stops that kept the opposing Vikings from getting into any offensive rhythm.

Paly looks to brush up, regroup, and come out strong next week against powerhouse Menlo-Atherton in the CCS Finals at a place and time to be determined.