Gunn's run toward a possible football championship in the SCVAL El Camino Division was stopped short by five plays on Saturday, all by the Titans and all of them costly. The result was a 23-21 loss to host Los Altos in its homecoming game, giving the Eagles reason to celebrate and the Titans reason to shake their heads.
All Gunn (3-1, 5-3) needed to do to win its first league title since 1971 was to win its final three games. All the Titans had to do was take care of the ball and not hurt themselves with mistakes. That didn't happen Saturday as the Eagles (4-1, 5-3) took advantage to possibly ruin Gunn's season.
After Gunn had scored on its first possession with Josh Jackson running in from three yards, Los Altos recovered a fumble by Gunn quarterback Anthony Cannon and scored 10 plays later. Four plays following the kickoff, Cannon threw an interception. Six plays later, LA's Mike Lopez scored the second of his three TDs for a 13-7 lead. Three plays after the next kickoff, Cannon fumbled a handoff and LA recovered. Four plays later it was Lopez scoring again for a 20-7 halftime lead.
Gunn appeared to settle down in the third quarter, finally getting a spark on Casey Jackson's 54-yard run to LA's 27. Maceo Parks finally ran it in from the 1-yard line for a 20-14 game. Gunn then held on downs, but on its second play, Cannon threw his second interception. Four plays later, Alfredo Marin kicked a 29-yard field goal that would provide the eventual winning points.
Gunn bounced back from that and scored in eight plays, with Cannon hitting Jon Zeglin on a 25-yard scoring play to make it a 23-21 game with 5:43 still to play. The Titans held Los Altos on downs and forced a punt, which went high and through the kicker's hands. Gunn's Tyler Ziebelman recovered at the Los Alto 4 and Gunn looked to have victory all but locked up. Parks took it down to the 1 and, after a penalty pushed it to the 6, Parks bulled his way through the Los Altos line before fumbling the ball away with the Eagles recovering for a touchback. Nine running plays later by Los Altos and Gunn's outright championship was gone.
Los Altos has only one league game left against Monta Vista next Friday at Foothill College, while Gunn has two winnable games left at Santa Clara and home against Cupertino. Both teams should finish 5-1 in league, and could wind up sharing the league crown with Fremont, which handed LA its only league loss. Gunn manhandled Fremont last week, 42-2.
SCVAL El Camino Division Gunn 7 0 7 7 – 21 Los Altos 0 20 0 3 – 23
Gunn – J. Jackson 3 run (Blanchette kick)
LA – Lopez 5 run (kick failed)
LA – Lopez 4 run (Marin good)
LA – Lopez 5 run (Marin good)
G – Parks 1 run (Blanchette kick)
LA – FG Marin 29
Gunn – Zeglin 25 pass from Cannon (Blanchette kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Gunn, C. Jackson 6-90, Parks 9-35, Campbell 1-14, J. Jackson 3-12, Godoy 1-(minus 1), Cannon 9-(minus 19). Los Altos, Lopez 25-120, Abramo 4-26, Stout 2-3, Cape 3-(minus 2), Vanneman 4-(minus 10). Totals: Gunn 30-125; Los Altos 38-137. PASSING: Gunn, Cannon 10-208-2-131. Los Altos, Vanneman 10-18-0-105. RECEIVING: Gunn, Ziebelman 4-41, Campbell 2-28, J. Jackson 2-23, Zeglin 1-25, Dean 1-14. Los Altos, Cape 3-39, Lopez 3-11,Abousamra 1-29, Aycott 1-18, Young 1-5, Abramo 1-3. Totals: Gunn 10-131; Los Altos 10-105. Records: Gunn 3-1 (5-3); Los Altos 4-1 (5-3).
Maceo Parks juking the Los Altos defense... More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44184874@N02/sets/72157622581308239/
Maceo Parks reaching in for a hopeful touchdown with the last minutes of the game... More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44184874@N02/sets/72157622581308239/
Los Altos QB scrambling... More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44184874@N02/sets/72157622581308239/
Titans entering the field at the end of halftime.... More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44184874@N02/sets/72157622581308239/
