 | | | Andrew Zolintakis had four touchdowns in the rivalry games. Photos Gint Federas
| | | | | | Prep football season opened with back-to-back rivalry games for the undefeated Campolindo Cougars. On Sept. 27, the Cougars traveled to take on the undefeated Dons, and on Oct. 4, the Cougars hosted Miramonte (4-1).
After a strong opening quarter, the Dons led 7-3, but a stingy Campolindo defense held Acalanes scoreless while putting up 14 points over the next two quarters.
"Once they built a 17-7 lead, down towards the end of the third quarter, we were starting to run short on time...put us in a position where we had to push it a little bit, and it didn't work out," said Dons' head coach Mike Ivankovich. "We have to do a better job against a team of that caliber."
When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the score was 24-14, leaving a perfect-to-that-point Acalanes team with a 0-1 mark in league play. The Dons dropped the next game to Los Lomas to fall to 0-2 in DFAL play.
Campolindo's attack was led by senior quarterback, Andrew Zolintakis, who completed 14/19 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. Junior runningback Nick Fadelli carried the ball eight times for 40 yards.
"It was a breakout game for Fadelli," said Cougars head coach Kevin Macy. "[He] really started getting his game going, and we knew he had it in him."
On Friday, October 4, Campo (5-0) was back on its home turf to take on cross-town rival, Miramonte (4-1). Fadelli built on his success from the week before and exploded for 217 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Behind Fadelli and Zolintakis, Campo routed Miramonte 38-10.
The Cougars started their opening drive from their own 20-yard line with a 2-yard run from Fadelli. On third-and-eight, Zolintakis completed a 9-yard pass to senior receiver Hunter Rosenbaum, but a horse-collar on Miramonte's defense tacked on an extra 15 yards to the play. Fadelli carried a second time for 43 yards, bringing the ball to the four yard line. Junior Adam Remotto walked into the end zone capping a 5-play, 80-yard drive with only 1:26 off the clock.
The Mats answered back, quickly, with their own running attack in senior Ray Clark (18 rush, 157 yd, TD). Clark carried five times on the drive for 51 yards, including a 25-yard run to the Cougar's 11-yard line. The subsequent 11-yard rushing touchdown by Clark was Miramonte's only touchdown of the game.
The Mats defense was strong through the first quarter, picking off Zolintakis twice, but penalties killed them. A would be 16-yard rushing touchdown for Clark was negated by an illegal formation penalty, and Miramonte had to settle for a 28-yard field goal from senior Kyle Visher, which left the score 10-7 at the end of the first.
The penalty woes continued for the Mats in the second, when what would have been an 83-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Drew Anderson to Will Fuller was pulled back after an illegal block, forcing the Mats to punt.
"It was tough to have two touchdowns called back and also to throw an interception in the endzone," said Mats head coach Jack Schram. "We should have had 28 points at halftime, and that's it."
The Cougars shut out Miramonte through the final three periods, hammering in four touchdowns, including a 70-yard rushing touchdown from Fadelli late in the fourth quarter.
"We could have let that game get away from us in the first half, so for us to stabilize the environment, grow into the game and make our adjustments...that was big for us," said a thrilled Macy.
Zolintakis, who threw for only 29 yards with two interceptions in the first quarter, finished the game 12/24 for 170 yards, three touchdowns. Junior Tyler Petite caught one pass for 41-yards and a touchdown, and Rosenbaum finished with five receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
"(Zolintakis) really kept his composure...it's tough to throw a couple picks in a big game like this," said Macy. "We didn't feel comfortable at halftime, but that second half, he really took control of the game."
The rivalry resumes when Miramonte (4-2) hosts Acalanes (4-2) on Oct.11.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA