For the Palo Alto High School football team (4-1, 1-0), which played the likes of private school powerhouse Archbishop Mitty and state-ranked Gilroy in its non-league games to start the season, Saturday’s league opener against the winless Los Altos Eagles (0-4, 0-2) did not seem like much of a contest, but rather a tune-up for what is to come.
Playing by sunlight for the first time this season, the Vikings jumped out to an early first quarter lead and never saw the sun set on their fun, manhandling the Eagles, 34-7, in their only scheduled day game of the season.
Playing without their usual Friday night crowd did not hold back the Vikings’ intensity, as they dominated from literally the first play of the game.
Junior line backer Jared Beeson scooped up a Los Altos fumble its first down of the game. Starting from deep in the Eagle territory, senior running back Sam Tompkins ran for 30 yards on four carries and then capped off the scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
“Their [Los Altos’] fumbles set up a lot of our scores,” Beeson said. “They were basically giving us the points early on.”
On the ensuing kickoff, the Eagles fumbled once more. And again, deep in Eagle territory, the Vikings handed the ball to Tompkins. Tompkins ran for 26 yards to put the Vikings inside the 5-yard line, where junior fullback Terry Beasley ran it in for the short score.
Although the score reflected an easy win, the Vikings’ players and coaches noticed areas that the team can improve upon for the future.
“I think that game was fun for most of us, but more importantly it was a good time to work on some things,” junior safety Scott Witte said. “I give credit to Los Altos for playing hard the whole game. They showed us some things we need to work on.”
The Vikings fumbled five times, all by regular starters.
“It’s going to be a long Monday for these guys,” head coach Earl Hansen said. “I haven’t seen a game like that [with that many fumbles] in years.”
After two Viking drives, which ended in fumbles, the Vikings got back on track, this time through the air.
Senior quarterback Will Brandin threw to junior wide receiver Joc Pederson along the side line, who then outran two Eagle defenders for a 76-yard score. Pederson fumbled at the 10-yard line but was able to jump on the ball as it rolled into the end zone, bringing the score to 20-0.
After another two fumbles, one by Pederson and one by Tompkins, Brandin threw long passes of 16 and 22 yards to senior receiver Harry Woolson. From the 4-yard line, Beasley took it in for his second score of the day.
Los Altos scored their only points of the game on a 9-yard jump ball. Woolson leaped up with the Eagle receiver to defend the pass, but found himself with only one hand on the ball to the Eagle receiver’s two.
Paly’s scoring was closed out by a 6-yard roll-out run from Brandin in the fourth quarter.
Tompkins went out with a rib injury and did not play a down in the second half. Beasley, along with junior running back Peter Ibarra, did an impressive job carrying the load for the depleted backfield. Beasley had six carries for 45 yards and two touchdowns, while Ibarra had 10 carries for 51 yards.
In other news around the league, Milpitas beat Los Gatos on Friday night. Los Gatos was the supposed best team in the league, but now the league title seems up-for-grabs. Milpitas (4-1, 1-1), Wilcox (2-3, 1-0), Palo Alto, Los Gatos (3-2,1-1) and Saratoga (3-2, 2-0) all seem to be contenders for the title.
The Vikings, hoping to make a statement about control of the league, will play Saratoga at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at home.
“We just have to get better and show our stuff each week,” Hansen said.