San Ramon Valley embraces physicality in big NCS playoff win over California
DANVILLE — Owen Scott could’ve easily stepped out of bounds.
Scott already had the yards necessary for a first down. San Ramon Valley’s offense, a unit that scored five touchdowns in a decisive 35-7 win over California, wasn’t starving for yards. Scott could’ve easily stepped out of bounds, and the chains would’ve kept moving.
The playoffs, though, are not the time for business decisions, and Scott wasn’t intent on making one. Instead of avoiding contact, he lowered his shoulder and leveled a defender. His sideline saluted Scott with howls and yells. San Ramon Valley’s night was defined by physicality — a physicality that has them advancing to the next round of the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoffs
“I thought our physicality was spot on,” San Ramon Valley coach Aaron Becker said. “I thought we had a really good week of practice which prepped us for this. Then, the kids were opportunistic. When we had an opportunity, we capitalized on it. That stems from our senior leadership that’s been in this position before and wants to keep playing.”
“We knew coming into this game tonight that we had to be absolutely perfect and we weren’t,” said California coach Danny Calcagno. “Offensively, they did some good things. The problem that we run into is they know us so well. We’re outmatched, so we have to be perfect, and we just didn’t play perfect football tonight.”
The Wolves’ senior class, true to Becker’s assessment, did as seniors do.
Quarterback Rhett Thompson completed 18-of-24 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Scott hauled in 10 catches for 158 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns. Running back Matthew Garibaldi totaled 102 all-purpose yards (79 rushing) and a receiving touchdown, while running back Sammy Avalos had a 24-yard rushing touchdown and a 25-yard receiving touchdown.
As for Texas A&M commit Marco Jones? He captained a defense that held California’s Jhadis Luckey to one touchdown a week removed from Luckey’s totaling a school-record seven touchdowns against Amador Valley.
“All week, we were talking about swarming to the ball, shutting down the run game and doing our thing,” Jones said. “We did our thing and we executed. When you execute, you win games.”
San Ramon Valley is set to play the winner of Saturday’s game between Marin Catholic and Cardinal Newman, a pair of teams that the Wolves have not played this season.
Before Friday’s contest devolved into a blowout, San Ramon Valley and California appeared headed towards a more competitive finish, one more akin to the Wolves’ 38-26 win over the Grizzlies in October.
San Ramon Valley opened the scoring on its first possession as Thompson connected with Garibaldi on a three-yard touchdown. California responded on its ensuing possession as Luckey rushed for his first — and only — touchdown of the night. San Ramon Valley, in turn, had its own retort as Avalos reeled off a 24-yard touchdown run, exploding right through the teeth of California’s defense.
The Wolves entered the break leading, 14-7, but not before an incredibly obscure six-and-a-half minutes to end the second quarter.
San Ramon Valley, after forcing a three-and-out, began a possession on their own three-yard line. The Wolves were set to punt after failing to convert a first down, but California was dinged for an illegal substitution coming out of their own timeout, gift-wrapping San Ramon Valley a first down — and almost so much more.
Given new life, San Ramon Valley marched all the way down to California’s six-yard line as the final seconds of the half ticked away. At the minimum, the Wolves were set up for a field goal.
Then, things got a tad weird.
On first-and-goal from California’s nine-yard line, California recorded a sack and pushed the ball back seven yards. Timeout, San Ramon Valley.
On second-and-goal from the 16-yard-line, Thompson hit Scott for 10 yards. Timeout, again, San Ramon Valley — its final of the half.
With about 40 seconds left, the Wolves’ only option was to attempt a pass to the end zone. If they didn’t get it, they could kick a field goal and enter the half with a 10-point lead. Instead, a bad snap sent San Ramon Valley scrambling. The Wolves fell on top of the football and avoided the turnover, but they now faced fourth down on their own 18-yard line — and the clock was ticking.
At least, it should’ve been.
As San Ramon Valley’s field goal unit scrambled onto the field, the clock temporarily stopped and granted the home team an additional couple of ticks before resuming. Those precious extra seconds allowed the Wolves to attempt a kick before the half ended. That extra time, in the end, didn’t matter. The kick went wide left, and the half was over.
The second half was decidedly more normal. San Ramon Valley’s offense opened the third quarter with three straight touchdowns while its defense pitched a shutout. Before the fourth quarter rolled around, the Wolves owned a commanding 28-point lead.
“I like how it was a complete team game — offense, defense, special teams,” Becker said. “It’s been a while since we’ve put all three phases together. That’s always something you can build on.”