Wildcats going for 10-0 season
Espe touchdown helps Gatos whip Saratoga
By Dick Sparrer
Jon Espe realized a lineman's dream.
And in doing so, he created something of a nightmare evening for the Saratoga Falcons last Friday night at Helm Field.
Espe, a junior defensive lineman for Los Gatos, forced a Saratoga fumble early in the game last Friday. And as if that wasn't enough, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder took off like a tailback to race 43 yards for a touchdown.
It was one of four first-half TDs for the Wildcats and one of six for the evening as Gatos rolled to a 40-10 victory over the Falcons. The win helped the Cats improve to 9-0 for the season and to 5-0 in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League with just one game left in the regular season.
Los Gatos will go after a second straight 10-0 regular season record this week when the Wildcats host Monta Vista on Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m., at Helm Field. Monta Vista, 4-2 in the division, is 6-3 for the year and still in the hunt for a place in the post-season playoffs.
"They probably have a real good shot at the playoffs, especially if they should beat us," said Gatos coach Butch Cattolico. "I'm sure they're going to be fired up and doing everything they can to win."
Of course, many teams have tried everything they could to beat the Cats this fall, and thus far no one has been able to do the job.
Saratoga tried last Friday, but despite adding some new wrinkles on both sides of the ball, the Falcons couldn't topple the mighty Wildcats.
There were many reasons: quarterback Trent Edwards (11 of 16 passing for 170 yards and two touchdowns), running back Derek Smith (16 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns) and a solid defense, led by Mike Vyhnal, Nick Skrabe and, yes, Jon Espe.
"He really played quite well," said Cattolico of Espe. "He dominated the game up front."
Espe was in on 11 tackles to figure among the defensive leaders for the Cats. He also forced two fumbles and recovered two, running one of them in for the first-quarter touchdown.
The Cats had scored on their first possession of the night--Joey Warren running six yards for a touchdown--to take a quick 6-0 lead, and it was Saratoga's turn to run the football.
But Espe stripped the ball from a Falcon running back, then picked up the loose ball to go 43 yards for a touchdown. Anthony Frangadakis kicked the extra point, and the Cats were up 13-0 early.
But Saratoga came fighting back. The Falcons drove in for a field goal to cut the lead to 13-3.
"I think that woke the kids up a bit," said Cattolico.
Edwards tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Geno Gingery, and Espe got the Cats the ball back in a hurry with his second fumble recovery.
Smith carried twice for 24 yards and Skrabe had a 4-yard gain to set up a 10-yard TD run by Smith. With a minute left in the half, the Wildcats were leading 26-3.
The Cats added to that lead quickly in the third. Runs by Smith and Warren and an Edwards toss to Smith 14 yards set up a 34-yard touchdown pass from T. Edwards to Brian Edwards. Frangadakis converted, and it was 33-3.
Not for long. Gatos got the ball back, and Edwards passes to Gingery for 12 yards and Warren for 11 set up a 5-yard TD run by Smith. Frangadakis' kicked a fourth extra point, and the Cats held a commanding 40-3 lead.
Saratoga scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late for the Falcons.
"We didn't play as well as we should have," admitted Cattolico. "But we played all right. We did the things we needed to do to win."
T. Edwards had another big night, despite heavy pressure from the defensive charge.
"He's been under a lot of pressure," said the coach. "Teams are bringing everybody. But he's handling it well."
Edwards completed 11 passes for 170 yards, hitting Gingery four times for 59 yards, B. Edwards three times for 63, Smith twice for 32 and Warren twice for 16.
Smith was the big ground gainer with his 124 yards. Warren added 35 yards on four carries and Chris Willard had 21 yards on three tries.
Los Gatos alternated two offensive lines with Nick Crafford, Nick McAlpine, Matt Benedetti, Adam Toeniskoetter and Casey Sargent playing most of the game, but giving way at times to Nathan Fillhardt, Ryan Johnson, Dan Holtzman, Evan McDonald and John Allen.
Vyhnal, Skrabe and Travis Howell were top tacklers as linebackers for the Cats. Vyhnal led the club with 13 stops and Skrabe, like Espe, was in on 11. Howell had eight tackles in the win. Skrabe also recovered a fumble.
B. Edwards, Matt Johnson and Ken Heimer were in on seven tackles each, and M. Johnson and Markus Willard each sacked the Saratoga quarterback.
Warren, Benedetti, Allen, Scott Cohn, Jason Rosa, James Furlo, Tony Berry, Shane Rogers, Scott Soucy, Randy Reilly, Ben Miller and Theron McCarty were other in on tackles in the win.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
