Football (4-5) won 31-6 against University High at the Homecoming game on Oct. 18. If the Bulldogs win their away game against Pacifica High on Oct. 31, they will be named league champions and advance to CIF.
The first quarter began with a Bulldog kickoff and the Trojans unable to complete a first down. On the Bulldogs’ first offensive possession, captain, quarterback and senior Nash Luper made a 41-yard pass to wide receiver and junior Malachi Moore to put the ball at the 2-yard line for the next play. Captain, running back and junior Timmy Grettenberg caught the ball in the endzone for his first of four touchdowns, setting the momentum for the rest of the game.
“That was my favorite play, the most fun play of the game, in my opinion,” Luper said. “I think it definitely showed Uni that we didn’t come to mess around, that we’re just gonna start off fast, just coming out the gate.”
Throughout the remainder of the first half, the Bulldogs’ defensive line pressured the Trojans into five incomplete passes across two possessions before allowing a field goal attempt, which put the score at 7-3. The Bulldogs’ advanced the ball up the field through handoffs to Grettenberg and running back and senior Diego Reyna, resulting in a rushing touchdown by Grettenberg and a point after touchdown by kicker and junior Ishaan Kedia. With just under a minute left, the Trojans made a long pass up the field and scored another field goal to end the second quarter at 14-6.
“One of our focuses that week, as opposed to sitting back and waiting to see how the other team is competing, was to make them play up to us, not the other way around,” head football coach Peter Abe said. “That set the tone. It’s our house, home game, Homecoming. This is what we’re going to do, and you’re either going to match our energy or you’re going to get steamrolled.”
The third quarter started with an interception by the Trojans on a Bulldog third down, but the team regrouped to maintain their first-half performance. Luper continued to either rush or hand off the ball as opposed making long passes up to Grettenbreg’s third touchdown at the end of the third quarter. After preventing the Trojans from completing a first down, the Bulldogs started at the 45-yard line in the final quarter and scored a touchdown, PAT and 41-yard field goal to end the game.
“I think one of our biggest strengths is our resiliency because the start of our season hasn’t been an ideal season,” Luper said. “Every single game has been close, and every single game our team has come into the game with full confidence that we’re gonna win. It’s been just keeping our eyes on the prize, just having that tunnel vision that the first five games didn’t matter, and it was really about winning the league games.”
