DANVILLLE SHOCKER
San Ramon Valley 26, Monte Vista 7
Stat stars: SRV - QB Joe Southwick 315 total yards, two TDs; RB Brett Trimble 3 TDs; LB Garrison Goodman two interceptions; MV - QB Brett Nottingham 21 completions, 252 yards; TE Zach Ertz 7 catches, 106 yards.
Key stat: MV 427 yards, 27 first downs, 0 punts, 7 points
Key play: Trimble 69-yard catch and TD run with 9:24 left in third quarter.
By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
DANVILLE, Calif. – The final score of 26-7 sounded about right.
The winning team, however, surely did not.
As is the case in many rivalry games, the underdog – in this case San Ramon Valley, a team sputtering and knocking toward the finish of the season - suddenly found its overdrive to zoom past cross-town rival and host Monte Vista and claim the battle of Danville before about 7,000 fans on Friday night.
Not an utter shocker considering the long and heated history between the two schools.
But considering Monte Vista (8-2, 5-2 East Bay Athletic League) had been near perfect all season – its only defeat was a hotly-contested 45-35 game to national juggernaut De La Salle – and the Wolves were riding a three-game losing skid including a 44-7 jackstomping to same De La Salle last week, a three touchdown win definitely did not seem feasible.
Not by the visiting team anyway.
Not against the state's No. 14 and nation's No. 86 team.
Then again, the Wolves (7-3, 4-3) had highly touted 6-foot-2, 185-pound Boise State-bound quarterback Joe Southwick.
Playing in his final regular season game, the three-year starter did it all, completing 16 of 22 passes for 265 yards and one score, running for a team-best 50 yards and another touchdown and even playing a little defense as well.
“Nobody believed this but us,” Southwick said.
Said San Ramon Valley coach Dave Kravitz: “(Southwick) wanted this one real bad and he delivered. The receivers delivered. The line gave everyone time and delivered. And of course the defense really delivered.”
That defense did the near impossible, holding one of the state’s top offenses, which features more options than Costco, to 35 points below its average.
Granted, the Wolves gave up gobs of yards (427) and bushels of first downs (27), but they caused four turnovers including two interceptions from birthday boy Garrison Goodman and tackled surely, especially in the red zone.
Combine all that with no turnovers themselves and three touchdowns by running back Brett Trimble, including a backbreaking 69-yard screen catch and run early in the third quarter, and it all added up to one of the most satisfying and shocking wins in Kravitz’ 12-year career.
And he’s won a pair of North Coast Section championships including the 3A crown last season at the Oakland Coliseum.
“They played for pride and the cross town rivalry,” Kravitz said. “They played the consistent executed game we’ve been preaching all year long, from the first quarter to the fourth quarter. I’m very happy and proud how they did it.
“Yes, this feels very good.”
That was evident when the San Ramon Valley faithful and student body stormed their rivals’ field and along with delirious players hoisted Southwick, holding the game’s rather large and gaudy trophy, high into the full moon-lit night.
This was a scene straight out of the movies. It’s just that no Hollywood script writer would have fathomed it.
"What can I say?” Southwick said. “We put it all together when it mattered most. This is a rivalry game and anything is possible. The better team doesn’t always win. I’m not saying we aren’t better but they’re had been some pretty crazy games over the years.
“We just came out and laid it on the line. We said some stuff in the locker room and got after it.”
The history lately as been spawned by a rush of blue chip quarterback recruits, that included a pair that got NFL tryouts this summer, Kyle Wright, the 2002 Gatorade National Player of the Year for Monte Vista, and San Ramon Valley’s Sam Keller.
The two combined for more than 700 yards passing and 10 touchdown in 46-44 Monte Vista win in 2002 and Southwick, then a sixth grader, was in the stands.
“I couldn’t wait to play high school football and emulate them,” Southwick said.
Since Wright and Keller, the schools have produced other Division I standouts including San Ramon Valley’s Corbin Louks (now at Utah) and Hunter Flynn and Monte Vista’s Drew McAllister, a three-year starting quarterback now a true freshman at USC who is projected to start at safety next season.
Friday’s buildup was largely built on another monumental quarterback showdown pitting Southwick and Monte Vista 6-3, 205-pound junior slinger Brett Nottingham.
Besides impressive numbers coming in – Nottingham (171 of 244, 2,545 yards, 34 TDs, 6 interceptions) and Southwick (159 of 265, 2,371, 26-6) – the two combine for just about every skill feasible to make it not only to the next level, but perhaps the one after that.
This was one of those possible postcard matchups, one you could possibly hold up in six years and say, “hey, I saw those two face off in high school.”
But clearly this is a game Nottingham won’t be sending to relatives or college recruiters.
He definitely showed signs of his rifle right arm, completing 21 of 30 for 252 yards, but he threw three ill-advised interceptions and lost a fumble.
While Southwick, in his third Danville tussle, looked utterly poised in and out of the pocket, Nottingham often seemed off-balance and uncomfortable largely because of good San Ramon Valley pressure.
“Our defense kicked butt – holly smokes,” Southwick said. “They stopped the best offense in the Bay Area and held them to seven points.”
Said Goodman, a 6-2, 220-pound senior who doubles as center: “Our goal was to hold them to 14 and we did that and then some. This hasn’t been the best of seasons so far but we came out firing, hit hard and the players stepped up.”
And they stepped forward from the outset, taking the opening kickoff and driving 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by a 1-yard touchdown sneak from Southwick.
The Wolves overcame two penalties on the drive, including what looked to be a backbreaker when they were called for offensive pass interference that put the ball way back to the Monte Vista 31, third and goal.
But Southwick evaded a strong rush and threw a wobbler against a stiff wind that leading receiver Bryce Peterson came back for strongly and made a tough catch at the 1. On fourth down, Southwick went over left guard and after a missed PAT, San Ramon Valley led 6-0 with 6:21 left in the first.
“We made a statement from the get-go,” Southwick said.
Monte Vista, like it did all night, answered right back driving 41 yards key by three completions for 35 yards from Nottingham. But Goodman intercepted a pass thrown right into his arms and the Wolves had bent, but not broken.
“We came up when we needed to,” Goodman said.
Monte Vista put together its only flawless drive of the night on its next possession and took its only lead when ultra talented junior fullback/linebacker David Wilkerson (14 carries, 86 yards) dove over from the 1-yard line, making it 7-6 with 9:41 left in the half.
A 28-yard reception by Stanford-bound tight end Zach Ertz (7 catches, 106) set up the touchdown
But the Wolves showed their conviction, coming right back with a nine-play, 70-yard, scoring drive of their own capped by a 1-yard TD plunge from Trimble. San Ramon Valley overcame a 9-yard sack and a 15-yard personal foul call as Southwick combined three passes for 35 yards and ran twice for 27 more.
“We just put everything together at the right time,” Trimble said.
Trimble had perfect timing to deflate the Mustangs, who closed the half with a 16-play drive to the 7 on a diving interception by Cole Huntley and opened the third quarter with nine play march that ended with a sack and fumble recover by Scott Miller.
On the Wolves very next play, Trimble took a swing pass from Southwick, evaded one defender, then broke three more would-be tacklers en route to a 69-yard touchdown, making it 19-7 with 9:24 left in the third quarter.
“I had a good feeling it was our night after that,” Southwick said. “Brett just did what he does.”
Said Trimble: “I just didn’t want to be stopped. Don’t know what else to say.”
Once again, Monte Vista went on a mammoth march, this one 16 plays, but an offensive pass interference call at the San Ramon Valley 15 helped stall the drive and the Wolves held on downs.
When Southwick directed a 79-yard march, keyed by four completions in four attempts for 59 yards, this one was pretty much done. Once again, Trimble cashed in with a 3-yard power touchdown, making it 26-7 with 11:06 remaining.
Monte Vista was thwarted in the red zone on its next possession and then Goodman capped the win with his second interception on the Mustangs last drive.
“I’ve never intercepted two passes in one game,” Goodman said. “It’s too good to describe.”
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
SAN RAMON VALLEY 26, MONTE VISTA 7
San Ramon Valley 6 7 7 7 - 27
Monte Vista 0 7 0 0 - 7
First quarter
SRV – Southwick 1 run (kick failed), 6:21
Second quarter
MV – Wilkerson 1 run (Brendan Garcia kick), 9:41
SRV – Trimble 1 run (pass failed), 6:33
Third quarter
SRV – Trimble 69 pass from Southwick (Vandevanter kick), 9:24
Fourth quarter
SRV – Trimble 3 run (Vandevanter kick), 11:06
Team statistics
First downs: SRV 18, MV 27
Rushes/yards: SRV 26-98, MV 38-175
Passing: SRV 16-22-0-265, MV 21-30-3-252
Total yards: SRV 363, MV 427
Turnovers: SRV 0, MV 4
Penalties: SRV 10-100, MV 10-93
Individual statistics
Rushing
SRV, Southwick 9-50, C. Huntley 8-28, Trimble 9-20; MV, Wilkerson 14-86, Johnson 16-63, Nottingham 8-26.
Passing
SRV, Southwick 16-22-0-265; Nottingham 21-30-3-252.
Receiving
SRV, Gruendl 5-81, Peterson 4-52, Trimble 3-89, M. Huntley 3-40, Madonick 1-3. MV, Ertz 7-106, Hemmingsen 7-89, Tuckness 4-21, Brewster 2-23, Wilkerson 1-3.
10 Takes from Danville
Goodman got emotional thinking about his grandmother Nancy Dearr who endured a stroke on Thursday night. “I dedicate this game to her,” he said.
Though Nottingham might want to forget this one, I have strong suspicion he’ll grow from it. With the North Coast Section 4A playoffs starting next week – Monte Vista will still likely get a first-round bye – he can make amends immediately.
Ertz (6-5, 240) has the look of a NFL kid to me. He and wide out Tom Hemmingsen, who came in with a combined 90 catches for 1,436 yards and 23 touchdowns, are as sure-handed as they get and with another steady wide out Matt Tuckness (49 catches, 744 yards, 6 TDs) and the running duo of Wilkerson and Greg Johnson (16 carries, 63 yards), no wonder people had told me Monte Vista could beat De La Salle in a possible rematch.
Monte Vista coach Craig Bergman, a former Pac-10 quarterback and the major reason why the Mustangs are a quarterback factory, said this week his team had been nearly flawless all season. Seemed like all its mistakes, with 10 penalties and red zone problems, were jammed into one game.
Don’t know if I’ve ever quite seen this stat. From 6:33 left in the half to 11:06 remaining in the game, Monte Vista had run off 40 plays to 10 for San Ramon Valley yet the Wolves scored 14 points to nada for the Mustangs.
Monte Vista never punted and on its seven possessions scored once and reached the San Ramon Valley 19, 7, 24, 15, 9 and 49.
Either the referees were bored or the two teams were undisciplined as of the 20 penalties, seven were majors (15 yards) and four more were 10-yard holding calls.
After enduring the “drops” last week against De La Salle and dropping three first-half passes, San Ramon Valley’s receivers were outstanding led by Byron Gruendl (five catches, 81 yards), Peterson (4-52), Trimble (3-89) and Mark Huntley (3-40).
As impressive as the two quarterbacks and Ertz were, the kid that wowed me the most was Wilkerson. No heights or weights are listed on any Monte Vista rosters (why, why, why?) but he looks like in the 6-1, 220 to 230 range. Despite that size, he had the most memorable play of the season on an otherwise meaningless 9-yard run around right end in the third quarter. With sure-tackler and outstanding athlete Peterson approaching, Wilkerson literally jumped all the way over him with two feet. Peterson was crouched slightly in perfect tackle position and then suddenly Wilkerson pogo-sticked over him. After the play, a somewhat dazed Peterson went over to Wilkerson and simply smiled as if to say, “wow, I wasn’t expecting that.” No one was.
Had their not been swirling, sometimes strong winds we probably would have seen those 700 yards passing from Keller and Wright.
Look for video clips on this game here and at "The Weekend Drill."
