Sacred Heart Prep running back Ryan Gaertner running around Los Altos defenders. Gaertner rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries and scored a 15-yard touchdown.
Sacred Heart Prep (3-0) rushed for 308 yards on the way to a 34-13 victory over Los Altos (0-2) Saturday afternoon.
With senior running back Tyler McCool sitting because of a hamstring injury, Will Morgan, Ryan Gaertner and Daver Refioglu picked up the slack. Morgan rushed for 128 yards and punched in two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, Gaertner rushed for 101 yards and Refioglu had 64 yards. As a team, Sacred Heart averaged over 7 yards per carry on the day.
“Our linemen always get a good push and we’re in such good shape that we always have a better second half,” Morgan said.
After Los Altos quarterback Todd Grimm threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Eaton to make the score 21-13 with 10:15 left in the game, Morgan scored on runs of 6 and 31 yards. On Sacred Heart’s last drive Morgan rushed three times in a row for 49 yards.
Before Morgan’s first touchdown in the fourth quarter, Prep’s defense came up big, sacking Grimm and then forcing a fumble on third down that pushed Los Altos back to their own one-yard line.
“Our ‘D’ line just kept coming and coming,” Sacred Heart head coach Peter Lavorato said. “I thought [linebackers] Luke Thomas and Fatu Tupou played well today.”
Junior wide receiver Anthony Otey returning a kickoff for the Los Altos Eagles.
Sacred Heart scored on their first drive of the game to put the Gators up 6-0. After six consecutive runs by four different players, senior quarterback Jack Larson hit tight end Duke Moran down the middle of the field for a 30-yard touchdown. Larson finished the day 7-12 with two passing touchdowns.
“Very efficient,” said Lavorato, when asked about the play of his quarterback. “He’s a really good high school quarterback. [...] He does everything you ask.”
Gaertner scored on a 15-yard run at the beginning of the second quarter and after Refioglu’s successful two-point conversion run, Sacred Heart had a 14-0 lead.
Los Altos cut into the Gators’ lead with the help of multiple completions by Grimm, who eventually hit senior wide receiver Bemi Onipede for a 15-yard touchdown catch. Onipede had two catches on the drive and ended up with a game-high 8 receptions for 91 yards while his quarterback completed 21 of 27 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
Sacred Heart extended their lead to two touchdowns with a score on their first drive of the second quarter. Refioglu ran for 27 yards on the drive, which was capped off by senior wide receiver Pat Bruni’s 22-yard touchdown catch.
In the fourth quarter, Grimm found Eaton before Sacred Heart’s rushing attack shut the door on the Eagles’ hopes.
Nonleague
Sacred Heart Prep 6 8 7 13 — 34
Los Altos 0 7 0 6 — 13
Sacred Heart Prep — Moran 30 pass from Larson (Spilane kick no good)
Senior wide receiver Bemi Onipede lines up before the snap. Onipede had 8 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Sacred Heart Prep — Gaertner 15 run (Refioglu run 2 pt. good)
Los Altos — Onipede 15 pass from Grimm (Simmons kick)
Sacred Heart Prep — Bruni 22 pass from Larson (Spilane kick)
Los Altos — Eaton 11 pass from Grimm (Simmons kick no good)
Sacred Heart Prep — Morgan 6 run (Spilane kick no good)
Sacred Heart Prep — Morgan 31 run (Spilane kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: SHP, Morgan 15-128, Gaertner 13-101, Refioglu 12-64, Tinsley 1-9 Larson 2-6. Los Altos, Galvez 13-42, Schneider 5-31, Harry 1-14, Grimm 3-2 Carbajal 1-2, Tabula 2-(-2). Totals: SHP 43-308 Los Altos 25-89.
PASSING: SHP, Larson 7-12-106, Grimm 21-27-190.
RECEIVING: SHP, Bruni 3-49, Moran 1-30, Gaertner 2-16, Refioglu 1-11. Los Altos, Onipede 8-91, Eaton 6-63, Rogers 5-38, Galvez 1-1, Schneider 1-(-3). Totals: SHP 7-106, Los Altos 27-190
Records: Sacred Heart Prep 3-0; Los Altos 0-2.
Junior tight end Michael Andris warms up before a kickoff.
Los Altos Eagles cheerleaders perform during halftime of the game between Los Altos and Sacred Heart Prep.
The marching band for the Los Altos Eagles perform during the football game between Los Altos and Sacred Heart Prep.
