November 14, 2015, 05:00 AM By Nathan Mollat, Daily Journal
The Valpo Bowl trophy has made a longtime home in the office of Sacred Heart Prep head coach Pete Lavorato.
It will live there for at least one more year.
Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo School locked up for the annual Valparaiso Bowl at Sequoia High School, with the Gators (7-3) rallying in the fourth quarter to snatch an exciting 27-15 victory.
And it was fitting the entire SHP student body in attendance stormed the field with an old-school postgame celebration, as the matchup was a hardnosed throwback clash of archrivals.
“It's kind of the highlight of the season,” Gators defensive lineman Cameron Dulsky said. “We always think about it like this is their Super Bowl.”
The Knights (6-4) entered the final quarter leading 15-14, then stunned the Gators by recovering a fumble with 9:47 remaining in regulation. But with a golden opportunity to extend the lead staring them in the face, the Knights went on to commit two critical turnovers on their following two possessions to turn the tide.
Dulsky produced the game-changing interception when, on third-and-16, Menlo attempted an option play with fullback Charlie Roth taking the handoff, then looking to throw downfield. But Roth’s pass was batted in the air by Dulsky, and junior safety Thomas Wine gathered it for the interception.
“When I saw [Roth] pull up, I just tried to get my hand up and hit something,” Dulsky said.
After taking over at the Menlo 34-yard line, it took the Gators five plays to punch in the go-ahead score. Junior fullback Isoa Moimoi banged the 5-yard run into the end zone; but after a botched two-point conversion attempt, Menlo was still in striking distance as SHP took a 20-15 lead.
Two plays into Menlo’s following possession, however, Gators linebacker Andrew Daschbach intercepted a pass by quarterback Mackenzie Morehead in Knights territory to put SHP in the driver’s seat with just over four minutes to play. Then with 1:50 remaining, the Gators put the game on ice when quarterback Mason Randall hit receiver Nick O’Donnell at the goal line for a game-clinching touchdown.
O’Donnell’s scoring catch capped a big night for the senior, who had seven catches for 158 yards. And that final connection with Randall showed just how in sync the two are, as the senior quarterback fired a bullet through traffic that hit the third-year varsity receiver O’Donnell square in the numbers, allowing him to make the reception even though the Menlo cornerback had a hand on the ball until O’Donnell tumbled to the turf.
Randall had a big night as well, completing 12 of 21 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He also flashed some uncharacteristic agility by dancing around the Menlo rush all night long, allowing him to step up in the pocket and make something out of nothing on several completions.
“Mason is amazing,” O’Donnell said. “Typically when he throws the ball, he just drops back. … But tonight he found it. That kid can move.”
Randall used his moves to get the Gators on the board in the first quarter.
SHP opened with a three-and-out. But when Menlo was forced to punt the ball right back, the Gators marched downfield for a 10-play, 67-yard scoring drive. After moving the ball with moderate run gains into the red zone, SHP found itself up against it on fourth-and-11 from the Menlo 17-yard line. But Randall got some happy feet going, stepping up in the pocket through traffic to throw off balance, hitting junior receiver Michael Mooring at the goal line for a score, giving the Gators a 7-0 lead.
Menlo struck back, though, with a deliberate march of its own. The Knights went 71 yards on 14 plays, converting on third down three times, including a short scoring run by Roth. The big fullback managed previous runs of 8 and 7 yards, and also caught a 14-yard pass on third-and-9 to advance into the red zone. Three plays later, Roth banged off tackle for a 2-yard touchdown, tying it 7-7.
It was the first time since Week 3 against Soquel the Knights had Roth and junior tailback Charlie Ferguson working in tandem out of the backfield. Ferguson rushed for a game-high 96 yards on 18 carries while Roth added 30 rushing yards against a stingy Gators defense.
“When we were healthy at the beginning of the year, we ran for 200 yards a game and threw for like 250,” Menlo head coach Mark Newton said. “Talk to us when we’re healthy and it’s a different ballgame.”
But the Gators’ aerial attack helped take the lead back minutes later. Randall ignited the drive on third-and-10 from the Gators’ 25, hitting O’Donnell for a 21-yard pass. Two plays later from midfield, Randall connected on a slant play over the middle with Daschbach, who rambled for a 33-yard pickup. Two plays later, Moimoi sprinted 10 yards on a draw play, capping a seven-play, 75-yard drive to give SHP a 14-7 advantage.
Moimoi ran for a team-high 69 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Tailback Lapitu Mahoni added 41 rushing yards on 12 carries.
In the third quarter, the Gators’ defense produced a clutch goal-line stand. The Knights had second-and-goal from the 1-yard line, but Roth — still not 100 percent after injuries kept him out of the offensive mix for a vast majority of Menlo’s Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division schedule - carried three times to no avail, ultimately getting stuffed by linebackers Daschbach and David Peterson on fourth down.
After the Gators took over at the 1-foot line, however, Menlo got a fortuitous swing when, faced with a fourth-down punt, SHP snapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety, closing the Gators’ lead to 14-9.
Menlo took the ensuing kickoff and made quick strides with passing gains of 15, 14 and 17 yards. Ferguson capped the 55-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard sweep from a hurry-up look to put Menlo up 15-14.
But then the turnover bug bit.
“We were in a good position and then we just didn’t make the big play at the big moment,” Newton said.
SHP’s win marks its fourth consecutive Valpo Bowl victory. Menlo last won the annual rivalry match in 2006 with a 26-0 victory.
