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Photograph by Chad Pilster
Halfback Chris Willard of Los Gatos runs through the line for a touchdown with 5:59 left to go in the 2nd quarter.
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Everybody plays for young Cats in victory
By Dick Sparrer
It's tough to get 81 players in a football game. But that's just the challenge facing Los Gatos frosh-soph football coach Scott Downs this fall.
There are 81 players on his squad, and he's looking for ways to get them all playing time while still remaining competitive against the rugged opposition on the Los Gatos schedule.
Last Friday night, though, the Wildcats made the chore not very challenging at all for Downs. The Cats went out and shot down Gunn 41-6, and all 81 players saw some action in the game.
Gatos pretty much had a lock on the game as early as intermission. The Cats took a 7-0 lead in the first period, then scored three times in the second quarter to take a commanding 28-0 lead by the half.
Talented running back Charlie Clarke took off on a 75-yard touchdown run in the first period and kicked the extra point to give the Cats the early advantage.
Steve Sweeney capped a Gatos drive with a 1-yard scoring pass to Nick Russell and Clarke converted to up the lead to 14-0.
Eric Brown blocked a Gunn punt later in the period, and James Furlo scooped it up to ramble 6 yards into the end zone. Clarke converted again, and it was 21-0.
But the Cats weren't finished yet. Chris Willard scored on a 3-yard run before the half and Derek Tam kicked the extra point to give Gatos a 28-0 lead at the break.
Willard scored a second TD on a 17-yard pass from Alex Rollin in the third quarter, and Patrick Michaelson scored the final touchdown on a 12-yard run. Jon Goldman kicked the extra point that made the final score 41-6.
Clarke finished the night with 169 yards on just six carries. Michaelson supported with 47 yards on six attempts, Willard had 43 yards on 11 tries and Scott Cohn picked up 16 yards on three carries.
Sweeney completed three of five passes for 16 yards, and Rollin had the one completion for 17 yards. Russell had two catches for 11 yards, Willard one for 17 and Chris McMorrow one for 5.
McMorrow led the Cats defensively, getting in on five tackles. Furlo, Evan McDonald, Stuart Gordon and Matt Cooke were in on four each. Furlo sacked the Gunn quarterback and Cooke and Brown each intercepted passes.
"Our [defensive] ends are starting to play really well for us," said Downs of Furlo and Gordon. "In fact, our defense is just playing very, very well."
The young Cats are now 3-0 as they prepare to enter league play in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. Gatos will visit Monta Vista on Oct. 1, 5:15 p.m., at Cupertino.
Los Gatos will travel to Monta Vista on Oct. 2, 11 a.m., to play a reserves game against the Matadors. It will be the first of four games that will feature the players who see little or no action on Friday night.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
