It’s homecoming at Amador Valley High School tonight where the Dons (3-1) will face a lively Livermore High (3-1) at 7 p.m. The game comes one week after Amador Valley lost to San Ramon Valley 23-13 and Livermore beat Benicia 30-14.
Hopes were high last Friday as Dons’ fans outnumbered the San Ramon Valley supporters on their home field. In their EBAL opener after an unbeaten season until then, the Dons failed at the start to take advantage of a Wolves fumble on the opening kickoff that took the Dons to San Ramon’s 17 yard line.
San Ramon Valley started its drive on the 21-yard line and was able to control the ball using the team’s well-designed passing game. On first-and-goal from the Dons’ 10-yard line, the Wolves quarterback found one of his many receivers wide open in the left corner of the end zone for the initial score of the game. Following the successful extra-point, the Wolves enjoyed a 7-0 lead over the Dons.
The Dons were able to muster a couple of first downs on their next possession before punting back to the Wolves, who began on their 24-yard line. Just as it looked like the San Ramon Valley passing attack was clicking again, Joe Young tipped a pass over the middle into the hands of Jordan Buckley, who returned it to the Wolves’ 23-yard line. Chip Becker was featured on the drive, picking up 11 yards, then seven yards before bulling his way into the end zone from the five-yard line as time expired in the first quarter. Dillon Mullaney’s extra-point was good, and the game was tied at seven.
The second quarter was a defensive struggle for the first nine minutes, as the two teams traded punts and a Pat Gondkoff interception cut short a Wolves’ drive. With a little over three minutes to go before halftime, the Wolves started a drive from their 32-yard line. A 15 yard run on first down followed by a six yard run set up a second-and-four situation from the Dons’ 46-yard line. An incompletion made it third-and-four and it looked like the Dons’ defense was going to hold the Wolves. Unfortunately, a Wolves’ receiver got behind the Dons’ secondary and all of a sudden it was 14-7 Wolves with 2:43 remaining before halftime.
The Dons’ attempt to tie the game before halftime was stifled by the Wolves’ defense, leading to a punt on fourth-and-four. The punt was returned to the Wolves’ 45-yard line, and San Ramon Valley was quickly able to move the ball to the Dons’ three-yard line with under a minute to go. The Amador Valley defense stiffened and was able to hold the Wolves to a field goal and headed into the locker room looking at a 17-7 deficit.
The third quarter was a scoreless affair, with the highlight a six-yard sack of the San Ramon Valley quarterback by Eric Callahan on third-and-goal from the five-yard line. The sack shook up the Wolves so much that their 28-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left, keeping the score 17-7.
The Dons weren’t able to move the ball after the missed field goal, picking up only two yards before punting back to the Wolves, who quickly moved from their 46-yard line to the Dons’ five-yard line. A penalty on first down pushed the Wolves back to the 22-yard line, but on second down a Wolves’ receiver found very little, but just enough open space in the left corner of the end zone for another touchdown. The extra point extended San Ramon Valley’s lead to 23-7 with 9:31 remaining in the game.
After the Wolves’ kickoff went out-of-bounds, the Dons started their next drive on their 35-yard line. Showing some life, the Dons mixed up the run and pass and capped off an 11-play drive with a six-yard touchdown pass from Pat Espiritu to Gondkoff. The two-point conversion pass fell short, and the Dons trailed 23-13 with time in short supply.
The Dons’ defense did their best to give the offense a chance to win the game, forcing the Wolves to punt twice in the next few minutes. Unfortunately, both Amador Valley drives were short and ended with interceptions by the Wolves. Three kneel-downs by the Wolves quarterback effectively killed the clock and the Dons’ hopes for the early lead in the EBAL.
Final score: San Ramon Valley Wolves 23, Amador Valley Dons 13. – Jeb Bing
