SARATOGA
– Gavilan College’s 47th season of football ended on an upbeat
note Saturday evening as the Rams completed a 3-6 season by topping
the West Valley Vikings 20-7 in Coast Conference play at Saratoga
High School.
SARATOGA – Gavilan College’s 47th season of football ended on an upbeat note Saturday evening as the Rams completed a 3-6 season by topping the West Valley Vikings 20-7 in Coast Conference play at Saratoga High School.
The first decade of coach John Lango’s turn at the helm of the Rams meant a 34-67 record, including a pair of bowl appearances. Wiping out a 7-6 deficit with touchdowns in each of the final two quarters gave the Rams a 3-6 mark, the eighth time that Lango has directed at least three victories. Gavilan won two of its final three, finishing 2-2 in conference play.
“After their one score, we settled down and played well,” Lango said.
“Defensively, we played really well. Three interceptions helped us out.”
Lango found out during the afternoon that his starting running back, Sean Hale, would be unavailable for the West Valley game.
“We plugged in Andrew Gayles and James Gaynor and were able to move the ball,” Lango said.
Gayles, in his most extensive playing time in two months, exploded for 113 yards on 19 carries. Gaynor helped with 72 yards on 14 carries.
Lango opted to start Matt Edwards at quarterback. Edwards handled the offense for the first three series of the game, helping the Rams to a pair of field goals by Anthony Velazquez to take a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After Edwards completed on only one of seven pass attempts for 41 yards, Mike Incardona completed the game and completed nine of 20 passes for 73 yards.
Velazquez booted a 43-yard field goal with 4:26 left in the first quarter to open the scoring. The Rams took advantage of a blocked West Valley punt to move in place for a 30-yard Velazquez field goal 47 seconds into the second quarter.
West Valley, 0-9 entering play and eager to snap the losing streak, responded with a 41-yard touchdown march behind freshman quarterback Kyle Cool.
Cool was 3-for-2 in the air and running backs Hashim Houston and Mike Laury took turns churning up yardage before Houston’s 11-yard romp off left tackle produced the team’s lone touchdown. Danijel Dukic’s point-after gave the Vikings a 7-6 edge.
West Valley had one final opportunity to score in the second quarter, but Gavilan’s Dante Young recovered a Houton fumble at the Ram 19 with 1:30 left before halftime.
Gavilan scored the go-ahead touchdown on its second possession of the season half.
Incardona directed the 54-yard drive in 10 plays, aided by a Viking pass interference penalty on a third-and-10 at the hosts’ 40. Incardona broke loose for a 17-yard scamper before Gaynor jetted the final 13 yards for a winning TD.
Cool completed a 45-yard pass to Dimitri Vigil, putting the Vikings in business at the Ram 15. Defensive back Arthur Pittman stopped Laury on a fourth-and-one sweep, ending a West Valley threat.
Cool added a 30-yard pass to Vigil with 2:01 left in the third quarter to put West Valley at the nine. Cool’s third-down pass was intercepted by Ryan Costa and returned 74 yards to the Viking 23.
Gavilan put the game away in the fourth quarter with an 83-yard touchdown drive. Breland Hudson made a 13-yard grab of an Incardona pitch on third down to keep the drive alive. A Viking roughing the punter flag moved the Rams to the West Valley 46. Gayles carried on five of the next six plays, muscling over from the three for the TD with 1:57 left.
