Photos

By Andrew Preimesberger
Palo Alto Online Sports

Junior quarterback Keller Chryst threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns for Palo Alto on Friday night, but the Vikings came up an extra point short in their home opener with a 28-27 loss to Archbishop Mitty.

Palo Alto fell to 1-1 overall while Mitty moved to 3-0.

The two teams have played each other five times since 2008, including two Paly wins in 2010 when it won the state title. The Vikings lost last year, 27-21, during the regular season. The series is now tied, 3-3.

Mitty led off its opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown run by junior running back Chandler Ramirez, putting the Monarchs up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Vikings would strike back in the second quarter when senior running back Matt Tolbert led off the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run up the middle to tie it at 7-7.

Chryst and the Vikings' offense came alive when the quarterback threw a perfect spiral to junior wide receiver Malcolm Davis for a 46-yard touchdown to put the Vikings ahead, 14-7.

Mitty answered with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from sophomore Dakari Monroe, tying the game at 14. Monroe was untouched by Palo Alto defenders on the play.

With 1:10 left in the first half, the Mitty offense made it to the Paly 16-yard line. That set it up for senior quarterback Wyatt Hansen, who threw a lob pass to senior wide receiver Andrew Scott for the touchdown, putting the Monarchs up 21-14 at the end of the first half.

The Monarchs scored again in the fourth quarter when junior running back Kyle Evans ran for a 13-yard touchdown putting Mitty up 28-14 and dimming hopes for the Vikings.

Paly would not back down -- Tolbert ran for a clutch seven-yard touchdown trimming the lead to seven points with 3:58 left to play.

Chryst stepped it up again and threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Davis with 2:00 left in regulation. The extra-point attempt failed on a high snap that prevented a tie.

The Vikings were plagued with seven penalties and five turnovers in the game. Palo Alto's receivers had trouble catching the ball, dropping six passes that were catchable -- including one in the end zone. Chryst also threw two interceptions.

"Dropped passes -- we have to get better at," said Paly coach Earl Hansen. "We gotta make sure we don't make mistakes that cost us.

"They're a good football team, there's no question. But, we are too."

Chryst finished 18 of 38 with Davis catching career highs of nine passes for 241 yards. Tolbert rushed 15 times for 111 yards.

Capuchino 35, Gunn 28
Gunn was looking to open up the season with its third straight win, but it wasn't to be as Capuchino's Justin Ewing had an incredible night of long runs and that was the key difference in the Mustangs' win on the Titans' field.

Ewing scored touchdown runs of 70, one, three and one yard and had a 50-yard run along with a 69-yard run with two minutes left in the game to seal it and offset a four-touchdown effort by the Titans' Andre Guzman. Ewing finished with 494 rushing yards on 44 carries.

For the third game in a row, the Titans (2-1) did not have a turnover and they benefited from three Capuchino turnovers. However, the killer for Gunn was the three times it got inside of Capuchino's 20 and turned the ball over on downs-- including the first time it had the ball and the last, with the last one ending inches short with two minutes left.

Gunn moved the ball well on its opening drive, but stalled at the 14. Capuchino took over and on the third play from scrimmage, Ewing busted through the left side for a 70 yard touchdown.

Capuchino got the ball back again and scored on a one-yard run with four minutes to go in the first to go up 14-0.

The Titans roared back for three touchdowns as Guzman hit Wade Barry for a 15 yard touchdown on the final play of the quarter to cut the score to 14-7. Guzman followed with touchdown passes of 18 yards to Sean Lydster and 14 yards to Kevin Sharp. Ben Sampson converted on both extra points as Gunn enjoyed its first lead of the game at 21-14 with 4:25 left in the half.

Unfortunately for Gunn, it could never contain Ewing as he constantly broke off runs of five, six, seven and eight yards along with big runs as a 50-yard run set up a three-yard TD with 2:56 left in the half to tie the score at 21.

After Capuchino broke the tie, Gunn had to punt on the next drive but got a huge break when Nabil Hamade recovered the fumble on the return at Capuchino's 28. Two plays later, Guzman hit Lydster on a screen pass for a 29-yard touchdown reception. Sampson's extra point put Gunn up 28-27 with two minutes left in the third.

Gunn finally was able to slow down Ewing Swift and cause a third- and-11 at Gunn's 15, but the Mustangs threw one of their few passes as Paea Dauwe hit Zach Kohtz for a 15-yard touchdown. Ewing ran in the two point conversion with 7:48 left to give the Mustangs a 35-28 lead.

Guzman promptly led Gunn downfield and hit a key 26-yard pass to Li Zhao, who made a great catch on the left sideline to give Gunn first-and-goal from Capuchino's eight. Three running plays moved the ball to the five and, on fourth-and-five with 2:12 left in the game, Guzman did a great play action fake and rolled left and hit Barry, who was tackled just inches short of the goal.

— Tom Jacoubowsky of gunntitans.com contributed

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.