Publication Date: Wednesday Oct 15, 1997

Menlo-Atherton must find a way to overcome a football setback

It's five games into the year, but Menlo-Atherton's football season begins right now.

That's how the Bears must approach Friday's 3 p.m. home game against Aragon. Both teams are 1-1 in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division. The winner stays in the running for a Central Coast Section berth while the loser steps into a very large hole.

Menlo-Atherton finds itself in this position following last week's 22-15 loss to division-leading Terra Nova (2-0) in Pacifica. The Bears had every chance to win the showdown for first place and grab control of the Bay Division.

Too many mistakes, however, cost Menlo-Atherton, which came into the game having allowed just 10 points in four games.

The key error by M-A came in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 15. The Bears were on their own 12-yard line and facing a third-and-28 situation following a bad pitchout that lost 17 yards.

M-A quarterback Sione Fakalata dropped back to pass, looking for the always dangerous Clayton Hathorne. Falakata's pass, however, was intercepted and returned 28 yards for a Terra Nova touchdown with just 1:52 left in the game.

M-A coach Clint Bragg took responsibility for the play, remarking that it was just one of too many errors by his team.

"We weren't disciplined enough," said Bragg, "but the season's a long way from being over."

True. There are five games remaining on the Bears' schedule, including a Nov. 1 date with currently undefeated Burlingame. M-A, however, has the talent to win.

Running back George Powell is a good example of what kind of talent the Bears possess. The senior carried the ball 23 times for 182 yards, accounting for most of the Bears' 240 rushing yards. Powell gave M-A a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a 24-yard scoring jaunt and then made it 12-7 just before halftime when he broke loose for a 65-yard TD run. Powell had 125 yards by halftime, which ended with M-A on top (15-7) thanks to a 30-yard field goal by Rogelio Guerra.

The Menlo-Atherton defense, meanwhile, was outstanding once again. It held Terra Nova running back Antar Mahasin in check, allowing the senior just 95 yards on 28 carries. Mahasin has gained over 4,000 yards in his career.



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