Pickens, Valdez combine for three scores in 40-36 barnburner
against Capuchino.
By Tommy Wright, Special to the Dispatch
SAN BRUNO – Mark it down in the history books.
In an emotional matchup at Carl Reyna Field in San Bruno, Christopher High held off a late rally by Capuchino to earn the program’s first varsity victory 40-36 in nonleague action Saturday.
Capuchino took the field for the first time this season after its game scheduled for Sept. 10 against South San Francisco was called off as a result of the deadly gas explosion and fire in San Bruno the day before.
The contest was the first for Christopher with its revamped roster, which was reorganized this week, combining the junior varsity and varsity teams.
“It hasn’t really been too bad (blending the two teams together) because we’ve been practicing together all year,” head coach Tim Pierleoni said.
He added that when the teams would break apart in the latter part of practice, they would still do the same drills and run the same plays.
Something clicked as the Cougars (1-2) exploded for their largest offensive outburst of the season.
Despite being in their first game together this season, quarterback Brandon Pickens and receiver Patrick Valdez looked as if they had an established familiarity. The pair connected for three of the Cougars’ six touchdowns.
Valdez said he was nervous at first, but the feeling wore off quickly.
He finished the game with 10 catches for 165 yards, but gave the credit to Pickens, who went 17-of-22 for 249 yards.
Pierleoni thought Pickens was a key to the victory.
“Our quarterback did a tremendous job of running our offense,” Pierleoni said. “Pickens came of age today.”
Pickens hit Bryant Cid for a 10-yard touchdown strike for the Cougars’ initial points of the ball game. Pickens and Valdez then united for a 20-yard score later in the opening period.
Nic Slater bounded in from a yard out in the second to put the Cougars up by a touchdown at halftime.
Capuchino (0-1) took its only lead of the game on the first drive of the second half when quarterback John Bacchi ran two yards for one of his three rushing touchdowns to make the score 20-19.
Christopher followed with 15 unanswered points, including a Pickens to Valdez pitch and catch and a fourth quarter Mikey Pirnik 26-yard scamper, to take their largest lead of the game and push the score to 34-20.
Valdez punctuated his eventful afternoon with his third touchdown later in the final period.
Capuchino narrowed the score to 40-36 with 3:12 left in the fourth, but the Cougars earned a first down on a 22-yard pass to Manuel Avila and ran out the clock.
Before the game, there was a moment of silence for the victims of the fire and explosion in San Bruno.
Capuchino coach Jordan Seiden said his team rallied together “for each other, for their families and friends, and the community” and said he was proud of their effort.
The team played with only 21 players because of injuries. They didn’t attempt any field goals or extra points because of an injury to kicker Tim Gretter during the game.
“We played through mistakes, we played through injuries, we played through the situation with the fire, I’m proud of them,” Seiden said.
Like Capuchino, Christopher played its first two games undermanned, losing 21-3 against Live Oak last week and 28-10 to Sobrato to open up the season. Pierleoni said the new players from the junior varsity team were a welcome boost.
“Bringing the JV team up as we did helped us tremendously,” Pierleoni said. “(It helped us) become a better and a stronger football team.”
Christopher has a bye next weekend before heading to Monterey to open Monterey Bay League play Oct. 1.
