The Cupertino Courier

Sports

Matadors have just enough for win

By Greg Lydon

It wasn't pretty, but with both defenses applying plenty of pressure, the Monta Vista varsity football team got just enough offense to hold off Prospect 17-14 Friday afternoon in Cupertino.

The Matadors also got a nice bounce to help them out as nose tackle Samuel Tabatabai picked up a bouncing fumble after a botched toss play as he rumbled 12 yards for his first career touchdown to tie the score 7-7 early in the second quarter.

"I just wanted to grab the ball and get into the end zone," a smiling Tabatabai said after the game. "I wasn't thinking anything except get that ball."

The victory put the Matadors in the win column for the first time this season, as they are now 1-2 overall going into league play.

"We wanted to break that ice and get that first win before we got into league play," Monta Vista coach Jeff Mueller said after the win. "Preseason's over, so now we've got to go to work. Everything counts now."

The Matadors will face off against league favorite Homestead on Sept. 28 at Fremont's Diesner Field at 7:30 p.m. Homestead is currently 3-0 on the season.

Matt Moustakas carried 20 times for 62 yards in a gritty effort for Monta Vista. The other member of the option combo was mobile quarterback Justin Rahn, who threw for 135 yards and ran for 46 for the Matadors.

Wideouts Tom Axelsen and Billy Guardino kept the chains moving for Monta Vista, compiling the majority of the yards in the passing game. Guardino also ran the ball seven times for 33 yards on several end around plays that kept the Prospect defense honest against the option-first offense of Monta Vista.

Things weren't clicking early for the Matadors as the Panthers defense swarmed Rahn, shutting out Monta Vista in the opening quarter.

Prospect got on the board first after a Monta Vista turnover when speedy tailback Kwasi Achiaw took a toss and jetted 88 yards down the far sideline untouched for the opening score of the game. The long run gave Prospect a 7-0 lead with 3:12 left in the opening quarter.

After a long drive ended with back-to-back sacks by the Panthers, Monta Vista was forced to punt but tied the score on defense with the big play from their opportunistic nose tackle.

"Hats off to our defense today. They gave us a consistent effort for four quarters," Mueller said. "The kids never gave up; that was the key. We got a lot of pressure on their young quarterback and we got out of here with a victory."

Defensive end Samuel Moon led the charge for the Monta Vista defense, recording three sacks on the afternoon and providing countless other hurries to distract first-year varsity quarterback Mike Brown.

"Everyone was working well together today," Moon said. "It was a total team effort. After they got that big run we knew we just had to keep battling and fight back as a defense. It feels great to get that first win under our belts."

A Drew Constant 30-yard field goal gave the Matadors a 10-7 lead going into halftime before they added some breathing room in the third quarter. Junior Nick Tong, who didn't record a carry in the first half, pounded his way for a two-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half for the Matadors. Tong carried the ball four times on the drive for 13 yards and the big score.