December 03, 2003

Back to the Weekly Home Page

Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

Just an amazing season

by Keith Peters

Tydus Kiger was a little-used reserve. Adam Dexter didn't play any offense. Matt Wismann spent more time watching than catching passes. John Ginanni only dreamed of making interceptions.

All played on a Palo Alto High football team that went 5-5 in 2002. Certainly, not much was expected of then when they took over starting roles this season.

"We went into this season with no running backs, two new receivers . . ."said Paly head coach Earl Hansen. And, most importantly, a lot of questions.

Those questions now have been answered. All those new, first-year starters stepped in and learned their positions well. And, perhaps, overachieved. That's why the Vikings are 10-2 and playing Friday night in their first Central Coast Section championship game since 1995.

"These guys stepped up and played," Hansen said. "And, they got better and better. Going into the finals with this group is amazing."

Should the fourth-seeded Vikings defeat No. 3 San Mateo (10-2) on Friday (7 p.m.) at Burlingame High in the CCS Division III title game, it may be the Cinderella story to end all Cinderella stories. This, after all, was a Paly team that started the season as a pumpkin and was expected to end it that way.

Now, however, the Vikings are the only remaining De Anza Division team at the dance now that three-time defending CCS champion Los Gatos and Milpitas have been eliminated. Paly's goal is a simple one.

"You've got nothing to lose," Hansen told his players after last Friday's 27-13 victory over top-seeded Aragon at Santa Clara High. "Just have to go out and play your best game."

Should that happen on Friday against San Mateo, Hansen might get silly again, grab 300-pound lineman Courtney Ewing like he did and lift the big guy off the ground in a big bear hug.

It was perhaps appropriate because Ewing and his teammates on the offensive and defensive lines were responsible for lifting the Vikings to their triumph over Aragon (9-3). The defense allowed only 272 yards and 13 points to a team that was averaging 41 points a game. The offense controlled the game and ended Aragon's winning streak at nine straight.

That sets up Friday's matchup between Paly's staunch defense, which forced four Aragon turnovers, against San Mateo's vaunted running attack that ground out 366 yards in a 28-14 win over No. 4 Terra Nova (7-5) on Saturday.

If the Vikings come up with another standout defensive effort like the one turned in against Aragon, they'll have only the second CCS title and 11-win season in school history.

"This was our best overall performance of the season against a great team, no question," Hansen said. "We've had some pretty good games by the line this season, but today they played their hearts out."

The key to the game was Paly's five-man defensive line, a formation that Hansen used for only the first time this season to stop Aragon's rushing attack.

"We wanted to make them throw the ball," Hansen said. "The plan worked pretty well."

Kudos to Paly linemen James McCluskey, Shane Parsons, Jay Hoffman, Rohan Kshirsagar, Nathan Taber, and Ewing, among others, for taking away the Dons' running game and making the strategy work. The Vikings' line, in fact, controlled the game on both sides of the ball, with the defense sparkling with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

The first interception, by Ginanni, ended Aragon's opening drive of the second half. The first fumble recovery, by Joe Ashufta in the third quarter, gave Paly the ball on Aragon's 34. Six plays later, senior Tydus Kiger ran seven yards for a 20-6 Paly lead.

After the Dons struck back quickly with their own touchdown less than two minutes later, Ashufta intercepted a pass tipped by teammate Alex Gibson on Aragon's next possession. Nine plays later, Paly junior quarterback Nathan Ford hit junior wide receiver Matt Wismann on a nine-yard scoring toss for a 27-13 advantage with 7:46 left to play in the game.

Paly's defense held Aragon to just 36 yards on the Dons' final three possessions, stopping one drive at the Vikings' 9 on a fumble recovery by Taber, who had arguably his best performance of the season.

The victory over the PAL Bay Division champion means Paly now will play the PAL's third-place team. Beating Aragon clearly puts Palo Alto into the driver's seat for a possible section title, if for no other reason than Aragon defeated San Mateo during the regular season. The Bearcats also lost to Menlo-Atherton, 50-33, in a game where they gained 510 yards of total offense.

"This was the game to win," Hansen acknowledged.

The Vikings knew Aragon would run the ball and pretty much stopped the Dons, who rushed for only 125 yards and passed for 147. Aragon sophomore Dominic Williams, who rushed for 212 yards the previous last week in a 43-36 double-overtime victory over Mitty, was limited to 104 yards on 18 carries.

"We stopped them when we had to," Hansen said.

Kiger, meanwhile, bulled his way for 146 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown.

Ford completed seven of 16 passes for 110 yards and scored on a five-yard run to tie the game in the second quarter. Wismann caught three passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns.

Now, where's that glass slipper?

E-mail a friend a link to this story.