2017 Campolindo Cougars football team

The 2017 Campolindo Cougars football team represented Campolindo High School of Moraga, California in the 2017 NFHS Football Season. They were led by 22-year head coach Kevin Macy and played their home games at Bob Wilson Stadium. They were a member of the Diablo Athletic League-Valley Conference.

Season Opener
August 26, 2017 at Marin Catholic Wildcats

General
Nickname: Cougars

Colors: Navy/Red/White

Coach: Kevin Macy

League: Diablo Valley

Section: North Coast

Playoff Division: 2

Playoff Division Rank: #1

Ratings
2016 Final Power Rating: 45.4

2016 National Rank:  #513

2016 State Rank: #51

General Personnel (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: -9.8

Reg Season Schedule Strength Downward Rating Adjustment: -1.3

2017 Starting Power Rating: 35.7

2017 National Rank: #1026

2017 State Rank: #91

Dynasty Rating (avg. rating 2003-2016): 26.7

Dynasty National Rank: #1271

2017 Rating vs. Dynasty Rating: better by 9

Dynasty Record: 137-42 (75-22 in league)

Strength of Schedule
2017 Regular Season Schedule Strength:  17.4

2016 Regular Season Schedule Strength: 20.1 (25.7 overall)

2017 vs. 2016 Schedule Strength Comparison: -2.7

2017 Regular Season Schedule Strength State Rank: #182

2017 Regular Season Schedule Strength National Rank: #1606

2017 Projected Regular Season Record: 8-2

2017 Projected League Finish: 2nd

2017 Undefeated Regular Season Probability: 6%

Returning Players
Offensive Starters: 2

Defensive Starters: 5

2016 JV Record: 9-0-1

Starting Quarterback Returning: no

Top Running Back Returning: no

Top Receiver Returning: yes

Top OL Returning: no

Top Defender Returning: yes

Top Players

 * 1) John Torchio 6'2" 190 Senior QB/FS3. 3.3.
 * 2) Chris Brahney  5'9" 210 Senior OL/DL2#.
 * 3) * Vincent  Mossotti *  6'0" 180 Senior WR/FS

Previous Season
2016 Overall Record: 12-3

2016 League Record/Finish: 4-1 (2nd)

2016 Points For Average: 34.6

2016 Points Against Average: 16.5

2016 Differential: +18.1

Winning Streak
5 Game Winning Streak

Last Year Wins
#1169: Palma (Salinas, CA) (30-21)

#1195:  Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield, CA) (31-7)

#2345: St. Ignatius (San Francisco, CA) (35-14)

#2383: Windsor (CA) (40-20)

#2614: Miramonte (Orinda, CA) (37-25

#3356: Redwood (Larkspur, CA) (59-28)

#3648: Ukiah (CA) (48-7)

#3718: Deer Valley (Antioch, CA) (27-7)

#4189: Concord (CA) (38-0)

#5903: Acalanes (Lafayette, CA) (42-7)

#9080: Hayward (CA) (33-9)

#11707: Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, CA) (56-3)

Last Year Losses
#199: Valley Christian (San Jose, CA) (21-7)

#295: Oakdale (CA) (28-21)

#400: Clayton Valley Charter (Concord, CA) (50-15)

Toughest Opponents
Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) (41.7)

Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park, CA) (37.8)

St. Ignatius (San Francisco, CA) (33.6)

Easiest Opponents
Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, CA) (-25.2)

Hayward (CA) (-2.5)

Concord (CA) (7.4)

State Championships

 * 1) 2016 (CIF IV-AA)
 * 2) 2016 (NCS II)
 * 3) 2015 (NCS III)
 * 4) 2014 (CIF III)
 * 5) 2014 (NCS III)
 * 6) 2011 (NCS III)

League Championships

 * 1) 2015 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 2) 2014 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 3) 2013 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 4) 2012 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 5) 2011 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 6) 2008 (Diablo Foothill)
 * 7) 2004 (Diablo Foothill)

Other League Teams
Miramonte (Orinda, CA)

Concord (CA)

Acalanes (Lafayette, CA)

Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, CA)

Campolindo (Moraga, CA)

Clayton Valley Charter (Concord, CA)

@ Marin Catholic Wildcats
Date: Saturday, August 26, 2017

Game Time: 2:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 98.6'F, Wind: W 4.6mph, Weather: Hot

Scoring Info
KENTFIELD, CA – Marin Catholic (1-0) spotted visiting Campolindo an early 7-0 lead and then scored 35 straight points before Coach Mazi Moayed emptied the bench in the mid fourth quarter en route to a 42-21 victory on Saturday afternoon.

“This was a great start for our season and huge for our playoff seeding,” Moayed said. “It puts us right up at the top.”

Defending North Coast Section Division II and CIF Division 4-AA Bowl Game champion Campolindo (0-1) took the opening kickoff and marched 78-yards in nine plays culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass from 6-3, 205-pound senior quarterback John Torchio to Max Schoenberger that gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead.

The way Torchio used both his feet and his arm in slicing and dicing the Marin Catholic defense in the opening drive it looked like it could be a repeat of the last two times the teams met with Campolindo posting 20-18 and 27-21 victories in the NCS 2011 and 2014 Division III title games, respectively.

This time however, it was going to be a horse of a different color and a lot of it had to do with Marin Catholic quarterback Spencer Petras.

After the ensuing kickoff Petras and the Marin Catholic offense stalled in their first drive, but the defense held on the next Campolindo possession after a 40-yard field goal attempt by senior kicker Seppi Ortman that would have given the Cougars a 10-point lead hit the crossbar.

From there the arm of Petras, a 6-5, 225-pound Oregon State-committed senior, and the power running of 6-2, 220-pound junior running back Cole Truex, took over.

After the missed field goal the host Wildcats struck fast when they went 80-yards in six plays culminating in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Petras to 6-2, 190-pound senior wide receiver Peter Brown. Truex (20 carries, 138 yards, two TDs) had three carries in the drive, including a powerful 17-yard run in which he dragged several tacklers. The extra point failed and Campolindo still led 7-6.

The next Campolindo possession resulted in a big momentum change. After beginning at their own 26-yard line the Cougars used the arm of Torchio to move downfield and they looked poised to increase their lead. However, with first and goal from the 4-yard line Torchio threw the ball right into the arms of Marin Catholic defensive back Jake Gammon at the one and he returned it to the Wildcats eight. It would be the first of three interceptions Torchio would suffer with Gammon getting two of them.

Petras then directed a 13-play, 92-yard drive that ended when Truex blasted in from the seven once again carry tacklers with him. Petras connected with Gaven Cooke for a 2-point conversion and Marin Catholic had a 14-7 lead it would never relinquish.

After three incomplete passes by Torchio forced a Campolindo punt Petras went to work again.

Despite being sacked twice in the drive Petras got the green light from Moayed to go for it on fourth-and-10 from his own 46-yard line with 34 seconds left in the half. He dropped back and despite pressure uncorked a perfect pass that 6-2, 182-pound senior wide receiver Ben Skinner pulled in before going out of bounds at the three. Everyone in the stands knew who was going to get the ball on the next play and Truex took it to the house for his second TD that increased the Wildcats lead to 21-7 at the half.

Both defenses stiffened in the third quarter but Marin Catholic eventually broke through to make it 28-7 when Petras connected with Cooke for a 39-yard TD pass with 2:19 left in the quarter.

After Cooke picked off Torchio in the end zone, the Wildcats completed their 35 straight point streak on a nine-play 80-yard drive that ended when 5-10, 177-pound senior running back Nathan Gernhard scored on a 4-yard run midway through the fourth.

At that point Campolindo Coach Kevin Macy replaced Torchio (17-for-30, 218 yards, one TD, three interceptions, 57 yards rushing) with 6-1, 175-pound left-handed sophomore quarterback Grant Harper and he looked good against the Marin Catholic reserves and directed the Cougars to two touchdowns.

Sandwiched between those two scores was the final Marin Catholic touchdown that came on a 4-yard run by Anthony Marino after the senior running back also had a 31-yard run in a short drive after a failed Campolindo onside kick.

“It felt awesome to finally beat Campolindo. We’ve been competitive with them so it’s great to be able to win one for the program,” said Petras, who finished 16-of-23 for 235 yards and the two touchdowns plus 53 yards rushing.

“Our team played great,” continued Petras. The offensive line and the offensive skill players executed and when the rest of the team is playing well it’s easy for a quarterback. Plus, on defense both of Jake Gammons interceptions and Gaven Cooke’s interception came at key points.”

It doesn’t get any easier for Marin Catholic as the Wildcats host perennial small school power Central Catholic next Saturday afternoon. In the two previous meetings Marin Catholic lost in Modesto 49-14 to the Raiders in the 2015 CIF Northern Regional Small School Bowl Game and last season opened in similar fashion with a 42-16 road loss.

Meanwhile Campolindo will need to shake it off and get ready for visiting St. Ignatius this coming Friday in Moraga. 

vs. St. Ignatius Wildcats
Date: Friday, September 1, 2017

Game Time: 8:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 87.8'F, Wind: W 0mph, Weather: Hot

Scoring Info
One week after a rocky first varsity start at quarterback, Campolindo-Moraga senior John Torchio delivered a stellar performance to lead the host Cougars to a 47-28 nonleague win over St. Ignatius on Friday night.

Torchio threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 108 yards and three scores. Campolindo (1-1) led by 16 after the first half and St. Ignatius (1-1) never got closer than 10 after that.

St. Ignatius scored first as Charlie Katz connected with David Woodruff for a 64-yard touchdown pass on the team’s first play from scrimmage.

Campolindo recovered and took a 30-14 lead into halftime after a big second quarter broke open a 14-14 tie. The Cougars scored 16 points off three Wildcats turnovers and a recovered pooch kick over the last six minutes of the half.

Ian Concepcion had the first of his team’s three second-quarter interceptions, picking off a long pass by Katz in the corner of the end zone. Campolindo then drove 80 yards on eight plays and took a 21-14 lead on a 1-yard run by fullback Kyle Leuteneker.

The Cougars recovered the ensuing kickoff, and Torchio found Vince Mossotti for a 21-yard touchdown pass two plays later.

Ryan Regan had an interception with 1:45 left in the half, but Campolindo couldn’t capitalize due to a lost fumble. Torchio would get the third interception at the Cougars’ 35-yard line with 15 seconds left in the half. He then hit Lucas Allen over the middle for a 40-yard pass that set up a 42-yard field goal by Seppi Ortman.

Torchio’s season-opening struggles came in a 42-14 loss to Marin Catholic-Kentfield. He completed 16 of 29 attempts for 216 yards with three interceptions and just one touchdown. Sophomore Greg Harper replaced him in the second half to throw for 147 yards and two scores.

Campolindo entered the game having not lost back-to-back games in the same season since 2010, a year in which the Cougars finished 5-6. Campolindo did drop its final game of 2015 (a CIF State Bowl final at La Mirada) and its first game of 2016 at Valley Christian.

This was the third meeting in three years for Campolindo and St. Ignatius. Campolindo won 24-14 in 2015 and 35-14 last season. 

vs. El Cerrito Gauchos
Date: Friday, September 8, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 64.9'F, Wind: SW 0mph, Weather: Clear

Scoring Info
The Campolindo High football team seemed to have found its swag once again.

The defending CIF 4-A state champion Cougars won their second straight after opening the season with a loss to Marin Catholic by running away from visiting El Cerrito 51-26.

Shun Ishida rushed for 103 yards and found the end zone twice while John Torchio threw a pair of touchdowns and scored a third on an interception return.

“After our first game where we came up short the team did a great job responding with two wins over some pretty good teams,” Ishida said. “We still have to get better and its a season-long improvement for us.”

Ishida scored on a 4-yard sweep in the second quarter and then reached the end zone on a 15-yard blast up the middle that gave Campolindo (2-1) a 37-14 lead with 8:33 remaining.

The Gauchos (2-1) made it interesting when Salesian transfer Derrick Langford fielded the short kickoff, then broke numerous tackles before breaking away for a 72-yard score to cut the Cougars lead to 17.

After a Campolindo fumble, junior quarterback Tyler Dickson broke the plain on a 3-yard keeper to make it 37-26 Cougars with 6:54 left.

The Cougars defense stepped up as Grant Larsen picked off Dickson on the Gauchos next possession and fullback Kyler Leuteneker scored his second touchdown on the evening with a dive from the 1.

Torchio closed the game with a 42-yard interception return for another score on a Dickson pass.

“The defense set the tone for us early on and made big plays when we needed it,” Ishida said.

Dickson was 15 for 28 passing for 187 yards and a touchdown.

Torchio was 10 for 21 with 137 yards in the air. He also added 88 yards on the ground as Campolindo finished with 242 rushing yards.

Langford had two touchdowns on special teams for the Gauchos, including a rare score on a shanked punt.

With El Cerrito (2-1) punting from their own 23 in the third quarter, Langford’s kick went off the side of his foot where it bounced at the El Cerrito 25 before bouncing backwards inside the 20.

Campolindo started to run off the field thinking the ball was dead, but Langford alertly picked the ball up and ran uncontested for a touchdown.

Malikhi Miller led El Cerrito with four receptions for 91 yards and a score.

Vincent Mossotti and Parker Windatt both had touchdown receptions for the Cougars. 

vs. Rancho Cotate Cougars
Date: Friday, September 15, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 62'F, Wind: WNW 1mph, Weather: Clear This game featured the Cougars and the Wildcats of the MOL (Moraga-Orinda-Lafayette) flag football league playing in the half-time show. The Campolindo Class of 1992 attended this game as part of their 25th Reunion celebrations.

Scoring Info
In the first meeting between perennial playoff powers, visiting Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park survived two second-half interceptions thrown by quarterback Jake Simmons and made two goal-line stands in the fourth quarter to hold off Campolindo-Moraga 33-28.

Simmons finished 25 of 32 for 352 yards and three touchdowns. But he threw three interceptions, the last of which gave Campolindo the ball at the Rancho Cotate 26-yard line with 6:50 remaining.

Campolindo (2-2) got the ball to the 2, but a fourth-down pass by Cougars quarterback John Torchio fell incomplete and Rancho Cotate (4-0) took over and ran out the clock.

Torchio went 20-for-30 for 333 yards and four TDs, with 219 of his yards in the fist half.

Campolindo entered No. 12 in The Chronicle’s Metro rankings and Rancho Cotate was No. 17.

“We knew our defense was good, but to stop them twice like that when our offense was sputtering a bit for the first time this season was incredible,” Rancho Cotate coach Gehrig Hotaling told Harold Abend of Prep2Prep.com.

Said Campolindo coach Kevin Macy: “Our inexperience showed and we bailed them out a couple of times. They were a little more polished.”

MORAGA, CA - In a crazy and close thrilling game, it ultimately came down to a late fourth down stop against Campolindo from the two-yard line that sealed the deal for Rancho Cotate, as they held on to beat the host Cougars, 33-28, on Friday night.

“The feeling (of this win) was unreal,” Rancho Cotate coach Gehrig Hotaling said.

Campolindo led 28-26 at halftime, as the advertised shootout between two dominant offenses materialized and thrilled fans on both sides. And when Rancho marched for the go-ahead score in the first five minutes of the third quarter, it seemed like the second half was destined for more of the same. The visiting Cougars went 80 yards in 12 plays to start the second half, capped by Jake Simmons hitting Kobi Buckley for the seven-yard touchdown. But both defenses then came up big, forcing turnovers in key situations, and setting things up for the final dramatic stop.

Campolindo quarterback John Torchio came up big on defense, intercepting Simmons with 6:50 remaining, on the Rancho Cotate 26-yard line. From there, Campo drove to the two-yard line, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete, and Rancho was able to run out the clock.

“It was crazy as advertised.” said Simmons. “The defense really stepped up when we needed it.”

Rancho started out fast early with a touchdown run from Buckley, a pass from Simmons to Cyrus Hernandez for a touchdown, and a 70-yard kickoff return from Logan Reese, putting the visiting Cougars up 19-7 after one quarter. The host Cougars were not able to get a running game against the Rancho defense, as Shun Ishida was only able to get two to three yards per run.

Campolindo, meanwhile, got interceptions from linebacker Grant Larsen and defensive back Ryan Regan, despite the fact that Simmons also completed 25 of 32 passes for 352 yards and three scores. Jaelen Ward led Rancho with 11 catches for 122 yards. The turnovers, though, forced Rancho into a position of relying on its defense late in the game, its first true test after a pair of blowout wins to open the season.

“We knew our defense was good, but to stop them twice like that when our offense was sputtering a bit for the first time this season was incredible.” added Hotaling.

The host Cougars were able to get some offense going in the second quarter after a big 49-yard touchdown pass to from Torchio to Vince Mossotti, and a fumble recovery on the kickoff. The defense also stepped up after Campo defensive back Ryan Regan broke up a pass from Simmons in the end zone. Torchio finished the game with 333 yards and four touchdowns through the air, but the majority of the yards came in the first half.

Rancho Cotate (3-0) travels to Montgomery next Friday night, while Campolindo (2-2) faces Hayward at Chabot College next Friday night as well. 

@ Hayward Farmers
Date: Friday, September 22, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 63'F, Wind: WNW 8.1mph, Weather: Clear

Scoring Info
HAYWARD, CA - Campolindo received a strong showing from quarterback Grant Harper Friday night in a 42-20 non-league win over host Hayward.

Harper opened the game with two long passes, first to Parker Windatt, then to Lucas Allen for an 18-yard touchdown.

Hayward (0-4) scored on its first drive on an 85-yard run by running back Donavan Head that ignited the crowd.

Harper answered back with a 48-yard pass to Lucas Allen, and minutes later Allen caught another pass at the 15-yard line for a touchdown.

The next Campolindo drive, Harper also had long passes to Windatt and Allen, and the drive led to the red zone inside the 10-yard line, and Allen scored his third touchdown of the night.

The visiting Cougars (3-2) began the second quarter with John Torchio under center. He hit Parker Windatt or another score. Torchio, known for his speed, finished the drive with a touchdown run to extend the lead.

Hayward struggled on offense during the second quarter, almost fumbling the kick return, and Cougar defensive back Ryan Regan intercepted Farmers quarterback Ramon Barraza at the 40-yard line. The Cougars capitalized on the interception with a touchdown pass from Torchio to Vince Mossotti on the very next play.

The Cougar offense dominated the first half with great passes from both Harper and Torchio and a running game anchored by tailback Michael Brewer. Meanwhile, the host Farmers were unable to generate much on offense outside of the long run by Head. Campolindo led 42-6 at the break.

The host Farmers had a impressive first  drive in the second half, as Jonathan Williams opened the drive with a 15-yard run. Hayward continued to march down field with completed passes and a good running game and reached the red zone on a fourth-down run by Israelu Sele resulting in a touchdown.

With a huge lead, the Cougars focused on their running game, but the Farmers ended the drive by recovering a fumble. Hayward cut into the deficit on excellent running by Head and Sele to pull within 42-20. An interception by Torchio, who doubles as a defensive back for the Cougars, enabled Campolindo to close out the win.

Campolindo has a bye week, while Hayward faces Skyline at Sunset Field next Friday night. 

@ Las Lomas Knights
Date: Friday, October 6, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 69'F, Wind: ESE 1mph, Weather: Clear

Scoring Info
WALNUT CREEK, CA - The Campolindo football team used another strong night from quarterback John Torchio to post a 41-21 win over Las Lomas on Friday night, in the DAL-Foothill opener for both teams.

The game began with the Cougars having a good field position at the 46 yard line, and they took advantage by starting quickly. Torchio threw twice to receiver Vince Mossotti for the first touchdown of the game, and a quick 7-0 lead.

The Las Lomas defense got a big play to start the second quarter as linebacker Nate Schulte recovered a Campolindo fumble at their own 20 yard line. The Knights marched down into Cougars territory as quarterback Dylan Graham completed three passes, including a 47 yard bomb to Blake Thorpe for a touchdown to tie the game. The Cougars were able to execute both the running and passing game, however, with Mossotti scoring an additional two touchdowns through the air, from 11 and 28 yards, as Campolindo built a 21-7 lead.

The Knights fumbled the ensuing kick return after Mossotti's third score of the night, but recovered at their own six yard line. Graham was able to scramble out to the 11 yard line but Campolindo lineman Chris Brahney sacked Graham to end the half, with the Cougars up by two scores.

“The defense really stepped up this game” said Campolindo coach Kevin Macy. “We really need to step up on defense during this tough league schedule."

The Cougars executed their running game with first down runs from Shun Ishida and Michael Brewer, early in the third quarter, and Torchio added a fourth touchdown pass to Lucas Allen from 27 yards away for a 28-7 lead. The Las Lomas offense continued to struggle with the Campolindo defense as Brahney sacked Graham on the next drive. The host Knights managed to keep the Cougars from scoring on the next drive, though, as lineman Cole Hunter recovered a fumble from Torchio.

The Knights finally managed to get some offense going with a 57 yard touchdown pass from Graham to Thorpe, which cut the lead to 28-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. A long Campolindo drive then ended with a 20-yard field goal from Seppi Ortman to make it 31-14, and the Campolindo responded with another stop.

Torchio was sacked again to start the next drive, but on the very next play, Torchio broke through the Knights defenders for a 62 yard rushing touchdown. The Knights managed to close the game with Thorpe's third passing touchdown from Graham.

Campolindo (4-2, 1-0 DAL) hosts cross-town rival Miramonte in their Homecoming game next Friday, while Las Lomas (3-3, 0-1) will square off against Acalanes at home on Friday night as well.

“There has never been a combination of Homecoming night and rivalry night in recent Campo history,” concluded Torchio, as the Cougars look ahead to next week's big game. 

vs. Miramonte Matadors (Rivalry Game/Homecoming Game)
Date: Monday, October 16, 2017

Game Time: 6:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 67.2'F, Wind: WSW 0mph, Weather: Clear This game was rescheduled from October 13th due to poor air quality from the NorCal fires. The Campolindo Class of 1987 attended this game as part of their 30th reunion festivities.

Scoring Info
MORAGA, CA - John Torchio's four-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Mossotti with no time left on the clock in the first half swung momentum firmly in Campolindo's direction, and the Cougars used that to reel off 31 straight points during the 38-20 Homecoming victory over rival Miramonte. The game was one of six rescheduled games due to poor air quality from the North Bay wildfires.

Trailing 14-10 with 25 seconds remaining in the half, Campo took possession at its own 46-yard line, and went right to work following a short Matadors' punt. Torchio connected with Parker Windatt in a play that took just five seconds and gained eight yards, moving the ball across midfield. Torchio and Windatt connected again along the right sideline in another play that took just four seconds. The senior quarterback was then flushed out of the pocket on first down from the Miramonte 39-yard line, but wisely ran out of bounds with 10 seconds left in the second quarter.

That set up a 39-yard strike to Shun Ishida down the middle of the field, taking the Cougars down to the Miramonte seven-yard line with three seconds remaining. Torchio quickly got the offense lined up as the chains and officials raced down the field, and spiked the ball with one second remaining. It appeared that would result in a Seppi Ortman field goal, which would have been his second made kick of the quarter, but a pre-snap offsides penalty on Miramonte moved the ball to the four-yard line and gave Campolindo one untimed down at the end of the half.

Coach Kevin Macy took the kicking unit off the field, and sent the offense back out. Mossotti motioned out of the backfield, and Torchio found him inside the right pylon for the touchdown and a 17-14 halftime lead.

The momentum continued to swing in Campolindo's direction early in the third quarter. Torchio returned a Miramonte punt for a 67-yard touchdown with 8:10 left in the third quarter, and after an interception by defensive back Ryan Regan, Shun Ishida snuck the ball into the end zone from the one yard line with 6:16 in the third quarter. Another touchdown run by Ishida would raise the Campo lead to 38-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

The visiting Matadors had a better passing game with backup quarterback AJ Fraser, who threw a 16 yard touchdown pass to receiver Ethan Fischler to cut the lead to 38-20 with 7:39 left in the game, ending the string of 31 straight points for the home team.

“Defensively, we moved [Grant] Larsen from middle backer to outside backer and put [Kyle] Leuteneker back at middle backer,” said Campolindo coach Kevin Macy. “This helped us slow down Miramonte’s running game in the second half."

Campolindo struck first in the beginning of the game as Torchio threw to Mossotti for a 30-yard touchdown, and a 7-0 lead after one quarter.

Despite defensive plays from Larsen, the visiting Matadors were able to march down the field in the second quarter with a big running game from Peter Stehr, who had 151 yards for the night. Following a first down run on fourth-and-inches from the Campo 20-yard line, Quarterback Xavier Clark then hit Stehr across the middle down to the two-yard line and on third-and-goal, he ran the ball for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak.

With 5:03 left in the half, Stehr broke through the Cougars' defense for a 79 yard touchdown run, finding a seam off the right side behind right tackle Teddy Hoxie. Henry Vacakis then followed Hoxie's lead into the end zone again for the two-point conversion and a 14-7 Miramonte advantage.

An Ortman 31-yard field goal triggered the scoring streak for Campolindo, prior to the big drive in the final seconds of the first half.

Campolindo (5-2, 2-0 DAL) faces Concord at Alhambra High School on Friday night, while Miramonte (5-2, 0-2 DAL) squares off against Las Lomas at home Friday night. 

@ Concord Minutemen
Date: Friday, October 20, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 55.8'F, Wind: WSW 2mph, Weather: Clear The game was played at Alhambra High School in Martinez, CA

Scoring Info
MARTINEZ, CA - Campolindo's John Torchio had another impressive showing, completing 10 of 19 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-8 win over Concord at Alhambra High School on Friday night.

The Cougars (6-2, 3-0 DAL) struck first, midway through the second quarter, first on a 12-yard run from Kaleo Nelson, and then on a three-yard run from Kyle Leuteneker to cap back-to-back scoring drives. On the next Campolindo drive, Torchio showed his running capabilities with a 38 yard kick-return to the Minutemen 45-yard line. Torchio then threw a long pass to junior Lucas Allen for a 45 yard touchdown, increasing the Cougars' lead 21-0 with 2:39 left in the half.

With under a minute left in the half, Torchio had another punt return into Concord territory, and capped off the drive with a 32-yard pass to Allen, and then a 16-yard touchdown pass to Parker Windatt with 13 seconds remaining, making the score 28-0 in favor of Campolindo.

Concord running back Austin Williams had a 30-yard kick return, which gave the Concord offense a good field position, but defensive plays from juniors Ian Concepcion and Paddo Buckley kept the host Minutemen scoreless in the first half.

The Cougars continued to increase their lead with a short touchdown pass from Torchio to Allen early in the third, and a 23-yard pass to Justin Ehrenberger from sophomore Grant Harper, increasing the Cougars' lead to 42-0 after the third quarter.

The host Minutemen (1-6, 0-2) finally broke through the Cougars defense with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Murphy to Ben Daynes. Daynes also scored on a two-point conversion with 6:23 remaining in the game, cutting the score to 42-8.

Campolindo travels to up-and-coming Acalanes on Friday night, while Concord plays Miramonte at Alhambra High School, also on Friday night.

“The defense needs to continue with tonight's efforts in order to contain Acalanes” said Campolindo coach Kevin Macy. “Next week will be a match-up of two great quarterbacks, Torchio and Robby Rowell."

@ Acalanes Dons
Date: Friday, October 27, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 66.2'F, Wind: WSW 0mph, Weather: Clear

Scoring Info
LAFAYETTE — Robby Rowell scored on a 4-yard quarterback keeper with 6.7 seconds left as Acalanes knocked off Campolindo for the first time in seven years, beating the Cougars 35-28 in a Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division game.

Acalanes last beat Campolindo 24-20 in 2010.

“The feeling is just amazing to pull this win off,” said Rowell, a senior. “We came out a little nervous, but our confidence grew more and more as we didn’t back down from them.”

Rowell’s winning touchdown capped a nine-play, 71-yard drive after Campolindo tied it on a John Torchio to Vincent Mossotti 6-yard scoring play with 2:35 remaining.

The duo between Rowell and Torchio did not disappoint as Rowell finished 16 for 24 for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a game-high 175 yards with two more scores.

“Robby was an absolute beast out there tonight,” Acalanes two-way player Brian Merken said. “Leading the offense we knew we could score every time with him.”

Torchio also used his arm and legs to keep Campolindo in the game as he had 219 yards on 18-for-30 passing and two touchdowns and added another 74 yards on the ground with a touchdown. He also had an interception on defense.

With the game knotted at 14-all, the Dons (7-1, 2-1 DFAL) came out strong in the second half as Rowell connected with Chris Rogers for a 4-yard strike to make it 21-14.

The Cougars responded as Shun Ishida went 30 yards down the sideline to the goal line. Ishida led the Cougars with 25 carries for 159 yards.

Acalanes bounced back early in the fourth quarter.

Facing a third-and-goal from the Cougars 24, Rowell hit Merken in the back of the end zone to give the Dons a 28-21 advantage.

Torchio then led Campolindo on a 13-play, 75-yard drive as he connected with Mossotti on a slant to tie the score at 28.

Campolindo (6-3, 3-1) started off fast as Torchio scored on a 1-yard keeper before hitting Parker Windatt for 49 yards for a 14-0 Campolindo lead.

The Dons bounced back as Merken found the end zone on a 3-yard pass play from Rowell, who then tied the game on a 34-yard scramble for a Dons touchdown.

The Cougars had a chance to go back in front before halftime, but Merken picked off a Torchio pass in the end zone.

“That momentum turn was huge,” Rowell said. “We went into the locker room tied instead of being down seven.”

Ryan Nall had a pair of second-half sacks for Acalanes. 

LAFAYETTE, CA - In a crazy and close game, it ultimately came down to a nine-play, 71-yard drive capped by a quarterback sneak by senior Robby Rowell with six seconds left as Acalanes tipped Campolindo, 35-28, in a huge rivalry matchup on Friday night. Campolindo had beaten the Dons over the past seven years heading into the game.

“The feeling is just amazing to pull this win off,” Rowell said. “We came into the matchup a little nervous, but our confidence grew more and we didn’t back down from them.”

Campolindo tied the game 28-all with 2:35 remaining, with John Torchio throwing to Vince Mossotti on a six-yard pass. Acalanes marched 71 yards downfield, scoring the winning touchdown when Rowell lunged over the goal line, with defenders piled on top of him.

The visiting Cougars got a final chance, but a lateral attempt fell short, and moments later, fans stormed the field in joy as the host Dons tipped rival Campolindo.

With the game tied 14-all at the start of the second half, the host Dons (7-1, 2-1 DAL-Foothill) came out strong as Rowell connected with Chris Rogers for a four-yard touchdown pass to take the lead 21-14. Torchio’s passes on the next drive fell incomplete after being broken up by Dons linebacker Ryan Nall. Torchio was able to convert on fourth down, however, and on the next play, running back Shun Ishida ran 30 yards down the sideline to the end zone to tie the game 21-all with 5:39 left in the third quarter.

On the ensuing Acalanes drive, Torchio intercepted Rowell’s pass, but the Cougars' drive was stopped when Nall sacked Torchio.

The Dons started to get momentum in the second quarter as Rowell had a long pass to Rogers to the three yard line. Rowell then threw to Merken for Acalanes’ first touchdown of the game, after trailing 14-0 early. With 3:39 left in the half, Rowell broke through the Cougars' defense for a 40 -yard keeper for a touchdown to tie the game 14-all. Campolindo had a chance to take the lead before halftime, but Torchio was intercepted by Merken in the end zone.

“We came out a little jittery in the first quarter, and then we settled down and started playing well,” said Acalanes coach Floyd Burnsed. “Once Rowell broke through the line of scrimmage, he had a lot of running room, so it worked well.”

Campolindo faces off against Clayton Valley Charter at home on Friday night, while Acalanes will travel to Miramonte Friday night. 

vs. Clayton Valley Charter Ugly Eagles
Date: Friday, November 3, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 54.6'F, Wind: SE 1mph, Weather: Cloudy

The Senior players and cheerleaders celebrated their Senior Night.

Scoring Info
MORAGA, CA - Junior Thomas Alatini ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns, as Clayton Valley sprinted past Campolindo 54-21 to wrap up a sixth straight unbeaten season in league play.

The Ugly Eagles have not lost a league game since Tim Murphy took over the program in 2012, and this one was never in doubt. Clayton Valley led 20-0 at halftime, behind two first-half scoring runs from Alatini and another from James Teofilo, who finished the game with 125 yards and two scores on just 12 carries.

As a team, Clayton Valley dominated with 437 rushing yards, while limiting Campolindo to 44 yards on the ground. Cougar quarterback John Torchio did move the ball through the air, with 261 passing yards and a touchdown to Vincent Mossotti, but also threw three interceptions. Milan Mijanovic added a 61-yard receiving touchdown for Clayton Valley, from junior Logan Sumter.

Senior Gabriel Dobbins had two interceptions for the Ugly Eagles defense, while Parker Allen led the way with 10 tackles.

Both teams now await their fate in the North Coast Section playoffs. Clayton Valley is a likely candidate to be selected for the Open Division, while Campolindo is the likely top seed in Division II. 

vs. Washington Huskies (CIF NCS Division 2 First Round Game)
Date: Friday, November 10, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 53.7'F, Wind: WNW 0mph, Weather: Cloudy

Scoring Info
Senior quarterback John Torchio completed 10 of 11 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore signal-caller Grant Harper added 86 yards and a score through the air, as Campolindo cruised to the easy 50-14 win over Washington-Fremont in a NCS Division II first-round playoff game.

Eight different Cougars carried the ball, led by freshman Dillan Thoms' 53 yards on eight carries, while another freshman - Jake Leuteneker - added a touchdown on the ground.

Harper started the scoring early for Campo, hitting Jackson Wheeler for a seven-yard touchdown pass, less than three minutes into the game. Torchio added a first-quarter touchdown pass to Parker Windatt, while Seppi Ortman added a short field goal with 2:57 left in the first quarter.

Washington cut into the lead with a four-yard touchdown run by Frankie Lawrence, early in the second quarter, but the Cougars responded with a pair of touchdown passes from Torchio to Vincent Mossotti, sandwiched around a Riley Bruel field goal to make the score 34-7 at halftime.

Charlie Craig returned an interception for a touchdown early in the third quarter to put an early exclamation mark on the win.

Campolindo hosts either Maria Carrillo or Santa Rosa in the quarterfinals. 

vs. Maria Carrillo Pumas (CIF NCS Division 2 Quarterfinal Game)
Date: Friday, November 17, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 57.9'F, Wind: WSW 0.6mph, Weather: Clear #8 Maria Carrillo at #1 Campolindo, Friday, 7 pm

Campolindo’s starters barely broke a sweat in last week’s win over Washington, evidenced by the fact that the team’s leading rusher was freshman Dillan Thoms, who was making his first varsity appearance. Meanwhile, only one of quarterback John Torchio’s 11 pass attempts hit the ground, while three of them reached the end zone.

Maria Carrillo trailed after one quarter against Santa Rosa last week, but scored 16 straight points in the second and third quarters, and held on to win by stopping the Santa Rosa two-point conversion with only a couple minutes left to play.

This is the first-ever meeting between the programs. Campolindo is seeking its fourth straight section title, while Maria Carrillo is looking to win two playoff games in the same year for the first time since 2005. 

Scoring Info
MORAGA, CA - Campolindo had a strong running game from senior Shun Ishida and junior Michael Brewer as the Cougars cruised to a 44-20 win over visiting Maria Carrillo in the NCS Division 2 quarterfinals on Friday night.

The Cougars came out hot to start the game as Vince Mossotti returned the opening kickoff from 95 yards out for a touchdown on the very first play. Ishida also had a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter, putting the Cougars up 21-0.

After a Maria Carrillo punt, Brewer carried the ball down to the 18-yard line, and later capped off the drive with a short dive into the end zone from the one-yard line. On the ensuing kickoff, the visiting Pumas (4-6) got their own kickoff return for a touchdown – a 97-yarder by Khameron Perkins.

“We were struggling to get our offense going,” Maria Carrillo coach Jay Higgins said. “Campolindo is a good team; they are really impressive. They had really good depth.”

The host Cougars extended their lead to 34-7 after a pair of field goals by Riley Bruel and Seppi Ortman. Maria Carrillo fought back with a 94-yard kick return by Kaih Johnson with one minute left in the first half. Campolindo responded with senior quarterback John Torchio throwing a 38-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Regan with 19 seconds remaining in the half, giving the Cougars a 41-14 lead at the break.

The visiting Pumas scored their third touchdown on their opening drive in the second half on an 11-yard carry by Quentin Cuellar to cut the lead 41-20. Ortman added a 32-yard field goal for Campolindo

Campolindo (8-4) advances to the NCS Division 2 semifinals and will face either Livermore or Windsor at home on Friday, November 24, as the Cougars continue their quest for a fourth consecutive NCS title.

“Our goal every year is to make it to Thanksgiving week, so we've achieved that goal,” said Torchio. 

vs. Windsor Jaguars (CIF NCS Division 2 Semifinal Game)
Date: Friday, November 24, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature: 58'F, Wind: SSW 0mph, Weather: Clear #5 Windsor at #1 Campolindo, Friday, 7 pm

These teams met in last year's championship game, with Campolindo emerging victorious for its first Division II title, following back-to-back Division III crowns.

Last week, the Cougars used a 98-yard kickoff return from Vincent Mossotti, and a 97-yard touchdown run by Shun Ishida, who had 131 yards and two touchdowns on just three carries, to explode to an early 27-point lead over Maria Carrillo before cruising to the victory. Junior Michael Brewer added 12 carries for 96 yards.

Windsor, meanwhile, slugged its way past Livermore, getting another big performance up front from senior defensive lineman Bas Osborn, who tallied two more sacks to bring his season total to 27.5 sacks in 10 games played.

Last year's 40-20 Campolindo victory in the title game was the first meeting between these schools. 

Scoring Info
MORAGA, CA – Senior quarterback John Torchio accounted for three touchdown passes, a touchdown run, and an interception to propel Campolindo to a 45-14 win over Windsor in the NCS Division II semifinals, carrying the Cougars to their fourth straight section title game.

Torchio handed-off to Kyle Leuteneker for a short touchdown run on the Cougars’ first possession of the game. Windsor (5-6) was not able to generate any offense against the Cougar defense. After defensive pressure on Jaguars quarterback Nick Pariani by Cole Berzins, Grant Larsen got an interception that put the Cougars’ offense back to work. Torchio hit Vince Mossotti for a 29-yard gain into the red zone, before hitting Parker Windatt for an eight-yard touchdown pass, for a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, Torchio got an interception, and then threw a 52-yard pass to Shun Ishida to extend their lead 28-0. That score came just minutes after Torchio had scored on the ground himself, getting into the end zone from two yards out, after hitting Mossotti with another big pass play right at the end of the first quarter.

With Campo later facing third-and-25 in its own territory, Torchio hit Windatt again, this time for a 60-yard bomb down the left sideline with 4:03 left in the second quarter. Sophomore sensation Grant Harper took over for Campo before the half, throwing to Windatt for a 24-yard gain, then connecting to Lucas Allen for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left in the first half, making the score 42-0 at the break.

Windsor managed to break through the Campolindo defense on a quarterback-keeper from Pariani, closing the gap to 42-7 midway through the third quarter. The Jaguars got their second touchdown on a one-yard run by Jorgen Sarganis with 3:52 left, following a 35-yard field goal from Campolindo’s Seppi Ortman.

Campolindo (9-4) advances to the NCS Division II Championship game and will face either Granada or Ukiah at Dublin High School on Friday, December 1, where the Cougars look to win their fourth consecutive NCS title. With the victory over Windsor, the Cougars will also be promoted to Division I for next season as a result of the competitive equity bylaws, as a result of winning the title last year and making the championship game this year. They are the first program to get promoted two divisions, as their school enrollment would naturally place them in Division III. 

vs. Granada Matadors (CIF NCS Division 2 Championship Game)
Date: Friday, December 1, 2017

Game Time: 7:00PM

Game weather: Temperature:, Wind:, Weather On the surface, Friday night’s North Coast Section Division II championship game between defending champion Campolindo and Granada appears to be one featuring contrasting styles of play, the classic finesse versus power match-up.

Granada head coach Tim Silva sees things a bit differently, however.

“We’re both fairly similar in terms of winning games we are supposed to, and playing well in the games we didn’t win,” Silva said. “(Kevin Macy and I) have both been doing this a long time, and we’ve both established some continuity in each program, and each hope to have things pretty dialed in at this point.”

The latter sentiment by Silva might be the biggest commonality for these two programs. In an era of constant turnover among high school coaching staffs, Silva and Macy have bucked that trend. The results have been overwhelmingly positive.

Macy has led Campolindo to three straight NCS titles, including last year’s Division II crown, in the first year that the Cougars had been promoted due to the competitive equity bylaws. Now, Campo is playing for its fourth straight title, and fifth title this decade, having also won the 2011 Division III championship.

Granada, meanwhile, is seeking its first section title since 1995, but has become a fixture in the latter portion of the Division II playoffs, having made the semifinals in each of the last three seasons. Last week’s 28-0 win over Ukiah, however, sent the Matadors to the section final for the first time during Silva’s tenure.

The Mats play a ball-control style offensively, running a bruising Wing-T offense which has thrived with a quintet of ball carriers. For Granada, the combination of Benny Valdez, Tommy Reeves, Malini Ti’a, Zack MacIntire, and Octavio Morales has been lethal, and all of them got into the act last week. Morales exemplifies the nature of both teams in this game, with his contributions in multiple aspects of the game, also serving as one of the top kickers in the area.

“They are all good players, and have done well all year,” Silva said. “It also takes a great line for that kind of success to occur.”

On the other side of the ball, Campolindo boasts one of the area’s top all-around athletes, quarterback and defensive back John Torchio. The senior leader has completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,682 yards and 28 touchdowns, while running for 598 yards and nine scores, despite a few weeks where the coaching staff put some restrictions on his ability to run the ball. He has also continued to thrive defensively, with 71 tackles and seven interceptions.

“We’ve never had a kid like John, and never had a quarterback go both ways before,” said Campolindo coach Kevin Macy. “There is no way we can give him a break. He has to be on the field the whole game, and we keep finding more ways to get him more involved on defense. We also have to start using him more in the running game, now that we are in the final stretch.”

While Macy gushes about Torchio’s ability, the same player gives Silva cause for concern.

“We have to contain (Torchio), and can’t give up the big play,” Silva said. “They have a lot of very good players who can beat you, and they play with a lot of confidence, with all the success they have had. We have to control the clock against those guys, and can’t go three-and-out offensively.”

Vincent Mossotti has continued to be Torchio’s big-play target in the passing game, with 65 catches for 1,032 yards and 14 touchdowns, but defenses can’t ignore senior Parker Windatt and junior Lucas Allen, who have combined for 88 catches for nearly 1,400 yards. And then there has been the emergence of senior Shun Ishida in the backfield, who leads the team with 623 rushing yards, to go with eight touchdowns. Against Maria Carrillo in the quarterfinals, Ishida broke off a 97-yard, and totaled 131 yards on just three carries.

“Shun has really figured out how to run in our system,” Macy said. “He’s really improved late in the year.”

As with recent years, Campolindo has again prepared for the post-season stretch with a difficult schedule. That included non-league games against Marin Catholic, St. Ignatius, El Cerrito, and Rancho Cotate. The Cougars split those four contests, and won four straight before dropping league games to Acalanes and Clayton Valley. The former of those two losses caused a shift among the program.

“The Acalanes game made us a bit different in attitude, and resulted in some structural changes,” Macy commented. “In the end, it made us a lot better.”

Now, heading into the championship game, Campolindo hopes that those changes in attitude and structure will help them against a program which embodies the type of team against whom the Cougars have struggled during their successful runs, a team which can play a physical style of offense and thrive on the ground.

“For us, we just have to slow them down, not allow any big runs, and make them work down the field,” Macy said. “We’re not going to have them in bad situations, so we have to get our kids in the right spot, and try to keep them out of third-and-short situations where it is easier for them to convert.”

Another positive aspect of this match-up is the special teams play for both teams. Morales was one of the top kickers in the EBAL, but it gets even better for Campolindo, who has senior Seppi Ortman as its weapon in the battle for field position. Ortman, who is likely headed for an Ivy League school with a grade-point average well above 4.0, has drilled nine of his 10 field goal attempts this season, with a long of 46 yards, and puts the majority of his kickoffs into the end zone.

The Division II championship gets center stage this year, as the lone contest on Friday night in the section. The teams square off this Friday, 7 pm at Dublin High. 

It has taken 14 games and three rounds of mostly mismatches to get to this point in Division 2 of the North Coast Section playoffs.

When Campolindo and Granada play Friday night at Dublin High to determine the D-2 champion, it will match a pair of 9-4 teams that from the outset deserved to be in the postseason.

There hasn’t been much excitement leading up to this game. Northgate was upset by Ukiah in the quarterfinals, and Windsor pulled a mild surprise against Livermore in the same round.

But Campolindo and Granada have barely worked up a sweat en route to the championship game. Campo, the top seed, has won its three games by an average of 30 points. No. 2 seed Granada has outscored its opponents by 32 points per contest.

“I don’t want to say anything bad about the competition, but the bracket is not that strong,” Campolindo coach Kevin Macy said.

Macy said the Cougars probably would have been seeded sixth or lower in the tougher Division 3 bracket.

Granada comes in having won five games in a row, but when asked if his Matadors are now playing their best football of the season, he replied, “It could appear we’re playing our best football because of some of the scores, but I don’t know. Our kids have played fairly well all year.”

Two of Granada’s four losses were by a combined 14 points to Foothill and Amador Valley, two Division 1 opponents in the tough East Bay Athletic League.

Campolindo played a brutal schedule that included Clayton Valley Charter, Marin Catholic, Rancho Cotate and Acalanes. The Cougars lost to Rancho Cotate and Acalanes, two of the top five seeds in Division 3, by a total of 12 points.

Of the 14 games leading up to the D-2 championship game, only two were decided by less than 10 points. The average margin of victory has been 22 points.

At least the seeding committee got it right putting Campo and Granada on top of the bracket.

“We’re very similar teams,” said Silva, who is familiar with Campo and Macy from having coached at Dublin before moving to Granada. Dublin and Campolindo once played in the same league before realignment.

Silva believes the “x-factor” is Cougars quarterback John Torchio, a dynamic play-maker on both sides of the ball.

Torchio has passed for 28 touchdowns and 2,682 yards. He also has 598 yards rushing and nine more scores.

Shun Ishida is Campolindo’s leading rusher with 623 yards, but the Cougars are more dangerous passing with receivers such as Vincent Mossotti, Parker Windatt, Lucas Allen and Ryan Regan.

Sophomore Grant Harper is a solid backup at quarterback when Macy decides to rest Torchio or allow him to concentrate on defense. He’s expected to be a safety in college.

Granada has its share of solid players, too, in running backs Zack Macintire and Tommy Reeves, and athlete Malini Ti’a.

“We’re going to be stretched in this game,” Macy said. “We’re going to have our hands full. Granada comes from a tough league.’

After so many mismatches, D-2 finally has a playoff game that will be worth the price of admission. 

Scoring Info
For coach Tim Silva and his Granada-Livermore football team, the game plan was simple: Disrupt John Torchio.

Despite the Matadors’ best efforts, they quickly became the latest postseason casualty at the hands of the red-hot Campolindo-Moraga quarterback.

Torchio threw for 280 yards and five touchdowns, and rushed for 52 yards and another score. He then took the fourth quarter off as the Cougars cruised to a 42-7 victory in the North Coast Section Division 2 championship game at Dublin High.

“He’s dynamic. He’s a special player,” Silva said of Torchio. “We tried to pressure him, but he gets rid of the ball quick, and he’s got good guys to throw to, and he just makes it hard on you. We knew what we had to face going into it. He didn’t disappoint. That’s for sure.”

Had a performance like this been suggested to Torchio 14 weeks ago, the first-year starter would have laughed at the thought.

“My first play against Marin Catholic, I caught the ball and thought, ‘Holy … I’m at quarterback right now,’” Torchio said, recalling Campolindo’s season-opening loss. “I’m definitely used to it now, and I’m in a groove.”

That groove has a chance to continue next week as Campolindo (10-4) heads to a California Interscholastic Federation regional game for the fourth straight season. The Cougars defeated Palma-Salinas in the 2016 regional round before defeating Bakersfield Christian 31-7 in the CIF 4-AA State Bowl. The Cougars will learn their regional opponent Sunday.

Campolindo took the game’s opening kickoff and delivered a crisp 10-play scoring drive capped by a 17-yard pass from Torchio to Vincent Mossotti. The senior duo befuddled the Granada defense in the first half, connecting nine times for 139 yards and two scores.

“He’s one of those kids who can elevate himself,” Campolindo coach Kevin Macy said of Mossotti, who didn't have a second-half catch. “Mossotti has that high end, where he can just keep blossoming.”

The Cougars scored on six of their first seven possessions.

Granada (9-5) got its score on a 50-yard run by Thomas-Earl Reeves at the midpoint of the second quarter. 

DUBLIN — Campolindo wide receiver Vince Mossotti said he and many of his teammates have been playing football together since middle school, and it looked like it.

The Cougars put on a clinic in the North Coast Section Division II title game Friday night and rolled past Granada 42-7.

It was 21-0 before Granada scored its only touchdown, and Campolindo (10-4) took the ensuing kickoff and marched 80 yards in 13 plays to make it 28-7, ending any hope for a competitive second half.

Quarterback John Torchio had a hand in all six Campo scores, throwing five touchdown passes and running over from the 1 for the other. Mossotti and Parker Windatt each caught two touchdown passes.

Campolindo will find out Sunday what team it will face in the NorCal Regionals. It will be the fourth straight trip to the NorCals for Campo, which looks ready to take on just about any opponent the seeding committee throws at it.

“We changed some things after the loss to Acalanes,” Cougars coach Kevin Macy said. “We played with more speed tonight.”

It was a dominating performance by the Cougars. They scored on all but one possession in the first half, and that was when they had a 19-yard field goal attempt blocked on the final play before intermission.

Campolindo resumed the second half right where it left off the first, scoring on its first two possessions after Granada turnovers.

The Cougars played a near perfect game, piling up a 496-237 advantage in total yardage, and causing four Granada turnovers, two on fumbles and two interceptions.

Torchio was phenomenal. He was 20-of-29 for all 270 Campo passing yards, and he kicked in another 52 yards rushing.

“He had such a learning curve,” Macy said of Torchio, who was in his first year as the starting quarterback. “He’s now at a point where he looks like a quarterback. He’s very calm back there and he can find his second and third receivers.”

Of course, it helps to have receivers like Mossotti and Windatt. Mossotti caught nine balls for 139 yards, all in the first half. Seven of Torchio’s first eight completions went to Mossotti. His touchdown catches were17 and 20 yards.

“Our game plan was to throw,” Mossotti said. “Their cornerbacks were playing off us and they were blitzing a lot.”

It will be interesting to see where Campolindo winds up next week. Although Division II has been maligned, the championship game pitting top-seed Campo against No. 2-seed Granada was legit.

The Matadors (9-5) play in the tough East Bay Athletic League and they came in riding a five-game winning streak.

Granada scored its only touchdown on a 50-yard run by Tommy Reeves in the second quarter. The Matadors had 195 yards rushing.

Macy wasn’t looking ahead to next week. He said he leaves that to his assistant coaches. But he did note that the Cougars “played up a little bit last year,” beating Palma-Salinas and Bakersfield Christian on the way to the CIF State 4A title.

There have been rumors that Campolindo could drop down to Division 5 if it gets to state this year, but Friday night’s performance should end that idea, even with four losses during the regular season.

Since the playoffs started, Campo is 4-0 with an average victory margin of 31.5 points. Yes, Division II was weak, but Granada was supposed to provide a little bit of a challenge. It didn’t. Now the Cougars could be looking at playing up a little bit this year too. 

DUBLIN, CA - The North Coast Section Division II bracket might have looked weak, but second seeded Granada was projected to provide a bit of a challenge to top seeded Campolindo in the championship game. It didn't, as the Cougars started off strong and never looked back in a 42-7 victory over Granada in the title game, the program's fourth straight section title. The Cougars are the first school other than De La Salle to win four straight section titles since Fort Bragg accomplished that feat from 1993 to 1996.

“We changed some things after we lost to Acalanes,” Campolindo coach Kevin Macy said. “We played with more speed tonight.”

Senior quarterback John Torchio led the way for the Cougars with 280 passing yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 52 yards and a score.

“I've definitely gotten used to being at quarterback this season, and I'm in a groove.” Torchio said.

“He's now at a point where he looks like a quarterback. He's very calm back there and can find his second and third receivers,” Macy added.

The Cougars started the game strong with a 10-play drive capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Torchio to Vince Mossotti. The duo connected nine times for 139 yards and two scores.

“Our game plan was to throw the ball,” Mossotti said. “Their cornerbacks were playing off of us and were blitzing a lot.”

The Cougars led 21-0 with seven minutes left in the half before Granada scored on a Tommy Reeves 50-yard run. Campolindo took the ensuing kickoff and marched downfield, finishing off with Mossotti's second touchdown catch, a 20-yarder with 52 seconds remaining.

Campolindo had a chance to score again after Grant Larsen intercepted a Granada pass, but a field goal attempt with no time left was blocked by the Matador defense, making the score 28-7 at the break.

The Cougars picked off the second half right where it left off, scoring on a Parker Windatt 27-yard touchdown pass from Torchio with 10:17 left in the third, just one play after Ian Concepcion intercepted Granada quarterback Jacob Morton. The Matadors fumbled the ball midway through the third quarter and Campolindo quickly capitalized with Justin Ehrenberger making a touchdown catch from Torchio from 26 yards out.

Granada had no answer for Torchio and Campolindo, who capitalized on four turnovers, two on fumbles and two interceptions.

“Our game plan was to put pressure on Torchio, but he can throw quickly, and he has good guys to throw to, and he just makes it hard on you,” said Granada coach Tim Silva. “[Torchio] is dynamic. He's a special player.”

Campolindo will now wait to see who they will face in the CIF regional playoffs, which will be announced on Sunday. 

vs. Milpitas Trojans (CIF Division 4A Northern California Championship)
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2017

Game Time: 6:00PM

Game weather: Temperature:, Wind:, Weather CIF 4-A North: Milpitas at Campolindo, Saturday, 6 pm

For the second time in three years, Campolindo and Milpitas will meet in a CIF North regional football game on Saturday, 6 pm at Campolindo, but the circumstances are a bit different than when the smaller Cougars knocked off Milpitas, 27-24, in 2015.

Campolindo just wrapped up its fourth straight North Coast Section title, but was a 6-4 team entering the playoffs, with losses to Clayton Valley, Acalanes, Marin Catholic, and Rancho Cotate during the regular season. Three of those four schools were in the Division III bracket for the post-season, while Clayton Valley made it into the NCS Open Division. Despite the struggles during the regular season, the Cougars went on a run against an over-matched Division II bracket.

Prior to the final weekend of the playoffs, no one predicted that Campolindo and Milpitas could be headed for a rematch, as the Trojans had gone 12-0, with hardly a close game among the dozen victories. In fact, prior to losing to Salinas in the CCS Open I title game, Milpitas’ smallest margin of victory had been a 33-20 win over Menlo-Atherton in the section semifinals. But the loss to the Cowboys changed all projections.

If anything, the Campolindo faithful can view this as a glimpse into what the future will hold. After winning their second consecutive NCS title at the Division II level, the Cougars meet the criteria for competitive equity advancement to the Division I bracket for next year, despite a school enrollment of approximately 1,260 students.

As for this year, the CIF 4-A game between these schools features some of the best athletes in the region. In particular, it matches up two of the top two-way standouts in Northern California – Milpitas’ Tariq Bracy and Campolindo’s John Torchio. But unlike a couple years ago, when Campolindo had linemen Sterling Strother and Wyatt McNeil to counter a large Milpitas front, the Cougars have no one this year who can physically measure up to the likes of Trojans junior lineman Justin Scrempos (6-8, 320) or standout senior linebacker Gabriel Erickson (6-1, 220).

What the Cougars lack in size, however, they make up for with skill. Torchio has the reins of a quick moving offense, one that plays fast at all times. The dual-threat signal-caller is joined in the backfield by senior Shun Ishida, while receivers such as Vincent Mossotti, Parker Windatt, Lucas Allen, and Ryan Regan force opposing defenses to worry about a multitude of options.

Then there is the history and expectation of success, something that runs rampant on both sidelines. Milpitas has won 10 games or more in each of the last five seasons under long-time coach Kelly King, while Campolindo has done the same in each of the last seven seasons under Kevin Macy, who has led the program to 189 victories over the last 22 years.

Bracy is the big-play threat at all times for Milpitas, but the Trojans have plenty of weapons, including receiver Tuni Fifita, and the type of athletes on defense who can pose a problem for Campolindo’s athletes. The Milpitas secondary has notched 17 interceptions, including a team-high four picks from Donoven Moore, and the pass rush has been heavy, with 44 sacks. Ioane Vete and Abraham Vea have combined for 17 sacks.

Erickson has been a big-time run stopper for the Trojans’ defense, but Christian Garcia and Isiah Cotton have been equally as formidable.

The winner of this game advances to play either Southwest EC or San Joaquin Memorial in the 4-A final. 

Campolindo football coach Kevin Macy was none too pleased when he learned his team would be playing Milpitas in the CIF State NorCal Regionals. Even knowing the Cougars would be the home team didn’t appease him.

“Three years in a row we’ve played the Division 1 loser in the CIF,” Macy said, referring to the NorCal Regionals. “We’re still a Division 3-sized school.”

The Cougars (10-4) host Milpitas (12-1) Saturday night in the Division 4-A game, with the winner taking on San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno (11-2) or Southwest-El Centro (13-0) at the home of the South Regional winner.

Two years ago Campolindo hosted Milpitas and won 27-24. Last season the Cougars traveled to Palma-Salinas and came out on top 30-21.

Macy doesn’t think his team should have been matched against Milpitas, which lost to Salinas 25-18 in the Central Coast Section Open Division 1 title game.

“They’ve been a power all year,” Macy said. “They had one game where they had some penalties and a couple touchdowns called back. They got it out of their system. They’re one of the dominant teams in the area.”

The Trojans certainly did self-destruct against Salinas, committing 13 penalties, having two touchdowns called back and blowing an 11-point lead.

Campolindo, meanwhile, won North Coast Section’s Division 2 crown by crushing Granada 42-7.

Alphonso Powell, the Oakland Athletic League commissioner and a member of the CIF advisory committee, said last week that some high school teams can become victims of their own success.

Powell was discussing his own league’s champion, McClymonds, a school with less than 300 students that regularly beats schools with much larger enrollments.

That could apply to Campolindo, too.

Milpitas, which has over 3,000 students, will show up Saturday with bigger, faster athletes. Running back Tariq Bracy is a four-star recruit being recruited by Notre Dame. Other potential recruits include 6-3, 220-pound wide receiver Tuni Fifita and 6-8, 320-pound lineman Justin Scrempos.

“We took a physical beating in that game,” Macy said of the game against Milpitas two years ago.

His Cougars lost to La Mirada 27-3 in the CIF State title game eight days later. But last year Campo rolled past Bakersfield Christian 31-7 eight days after playing Palma.

The folks who put together the NorCal matchups are placing more emphasis on competitive balance and worrying less about a school’s enrollment. And Campo, with an enrollment of about 1,300, for the past few years has shown it can stand up to the big boys, even if it has to resort to finesse over physicality.

But MaxPreps.com, which uses a computer to rank every high school team in California, does give some support to Macy’s beef with the matchups.

Campo is ranked No. 140 in the state by the computer while Milpitas is 94th. If the matchups had gone by the computer rankings, Salinas, the team that beat Milpitas last week, would have been a closer fit. Salinas is ranked No. 124.

Other possibilities for Campolindo could have been East Nicolaus (143) or McClymonds (150).

East Nicolaus is hosting McClymonds in the NorCal 5-AA regional. Salinas is at home in the 4-AA game against Placer.

A Campolindo-McClymonds matchup certainly would have attracted interest in the East Bay, for a variety of reasons.

Of course, there are several considerations taken into account when putting together the regionals, such as not wanting to match teams from the same section.

And has Campo has shown the past three years, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

So it will be Campolindo hosting Milpitas on Saturday night.

Calpreps.com, which uses a computer to predict the outcome of every high school game, favors Milpitas by nine points.

Don’t bet on it. 

Scoring Info
Given its recent postseason history, the Milpitas High football team believed it was due.

And few Trojans felt that more than their celebrated sibling tandem of Tariq and Tyree Bracy — two seniors who have been around for losses in three Central Coast Section championships and two CIF Northern Regional bowl games.

On Saturday night, they made their last shot count.

Tariq rushes 36 times for 311 yards and four touchdowns, and Tyree threw for 257 yards and two scores as Milpitas defeated host Campolindo-Moraga 52-38 in the 4-A regional playoff.

“You always got to stay confident, that’s the thing,” Tariq Bracy said. “No matter how many times you lose the big one, you can’t come in like, ‘Oh, it's the big one’ and get all intimidated.

“We had to come in like we want this.”

That they did.

Tariq rushed for 53 yards on five carries during the game’s opening drive. He capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead after a failed PAT attempt.

Campolindo answered with an 80-yard drive and grabbed a 7-6 lead on John Torchio’s 19-yard pass to Shun Ishida. And that’s how things would go for the entire first half, each team answering the orher’s scores until Milpitas took a 30-28 lead into the intermission with a 27-yard field goal by Mariano Robles as time expired.

Milpitas (13-1) would go up 37-28 on an 11-yard run by Tariq Bracy.

“That’s all credit to my lineman, there’s nothing else to say,” Tariq Bracy said. “They did a great job opening the lanes. I had multiple holes to choose from. And that’s it. That’s the recipe.”

Milpitas advances to the 4-A state bowl to be hosted by Southwest EC-El Centro at 6 p.m. on Dec. 16. Southwest (14-0) came from 14 points down to defeat San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno 31-28 on Saturday.

Campolindo (10-5), the defending 4-AA State Bowl champions, got huge efforts from quarterback Torchio and receiver Parker Windatt, but could never get closer than seven points.

Torchio completed 25 of 37 passes for 350 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 111 yards and another score. Windatt caught 15 passes for 224 yards and three TDs.

Milpitas senior wide receiver Tuni Faletau-Fifita caught seven passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. 

MORAGA — It took six attempts for the seniors on the Milpitas football team to get the win they had been seeking since they were sophomores, and when the dream finally came true,  emotions were overwhelming.

“We play as a team and the kids buy into that,” said Milpitas coach Kelly King as he stood off to the side watching his players celebrate a 52-38 victory over Campolindo Saturday night in the CIF State NorCal Regional 4-A contest. “This is big, not having gotten it done two years ago.”

King was referring to a 27-24 loss two years ago at Campolindo in the NorCal Regionals, but there has been a lot more frustration than that one game for Milpitas. How about three defeats in Central Coast Section championship games, including last week against Salinas, and two more setbacks in the regionals.

“Losing two straight NorCal games and three straight section championships,” said running back Tariq Bracy. “This feels great, finally getting over the hump.”

Next up for Milpitas (13-1) is a visit to Southwest El Centro (14-0) for the 4-A CIF State title. Southwest EC beat San Joaquin Memorial 31-28. The teams play next Saturday at 6 p.m.

Bracy turned in an unforgettable performance, rushing for 310 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries.

But he wasn’t the only player turning in superlatives.

Milpitas receiver Tuni Faletau Fifita caught seven passes for 163 yards and two scores.

On the Campolindo side, quarterback John Torchio threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for another 131 yards and a touchdown.

In all, the teams combined for 1,213 yards in this back-and-forth game in which the lead changed hands eight times — in the first half. Milpitas finished the night with 625 yards of total offense, Campo had 588.

Milpitas took a 30-28 lead into halftime when Mariano Robles kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired.

It became a nine-point lead at 37-28 when Bracy scored from 10 yards out on Milpitas’ first possession of the second half, and Campolindo got no close than six points after that.

“Last week we played bad,” Fifita said of Milpitas’ performance in a 25-18 loss to Salinas. “This week we had a good week of practice. That was a big thing.”

The game was as exciting as the offensive yardage and the final score indicated. There was big play after big play from the very first drive.

Milpitas took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards in eight plays, with Bracy going the last 21 for a 6-0 lead when the extra point failed.

Campolindo (10-5) returned the favor on its first possession, driving 80 yards in eight plays and taking a one-point lead when it converted the extra point.

Those two touchdowns set the tone for a wild first half. Milpitas scored three more touchdowns on passes from quarterback Tyree Bracy, two to Fifita and one to PJ Vai.

Campolindo scored on a 59-yard run by Torchio and two TD passes, one to Shun Ishida and the other to Parker Windatt, who caught 15 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns.

Milpitas appeared on the verge of shooting itself in the foot on the final drive of the first half. Down 28-27, the Trojans moved from their own 34 to first-and-goal at the 1.

Tariq Bracy then took a handoff from his brother and scored what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown, but it was called back by a procedure penalty.

Three incomplete passes later, Robles kicked a 23-yard field goal that was taken off the board by another Milpitas penalty. Backed up five yards, Robles drilled a 28-yarder to put Milpitas ahead for good.

“Our kids fought hard,” Campolindo coach Kevin Macy said. “Milpitas played good. They made plays all night, they made big plays. And (Tariq) Bracy is smooth. He’s got a natural gift. It didn’t take much of a crease for him to get loose and do something big.”

MORAGA, CA - Going into Saturday night's regional bowl contest against Campolindo, Milpitas had suffered losses in three CCS championships and two CIF Northern Regional games the past three years, including a 27-24 loss to the Cougars in 2015. In Saturday's 4-A North Regional bowl game, the Trojans finally cleared the hurdle with a strong night from Milpitas siblings Tariq and Tyree Bracy for the 52-38 win over host Campolindo.

“We play as a team and the kids buy into that,” said Milpitas coach Kelly King. “This is big, not having gotten it done two years ago.”

The Trojans took a 30-28 lead into halftime on a 28-yard field goal by Mariano Robles as time expired. Milpitas never looked back when Tariq Bracy scored from the 10 on the Trojans' first possession of the second half. Bracy led the way for the Trojans with 36 carries for 310 yards and four touchdowns.

“You always have to stay confident, that's the thing,” Bracy said. “We had to come in like we want this.”

The Cougars had a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter after Ian Concepcion picked off a Milpitas pass. But Shun Ishida fumbled on the Milpitas 30-yard line and Noah Rodriguez picked up the ball and returned it into Cougar territory. Bracy ran for his fourth touchdown of the night with 7:47 left.

Milpitas (13-1) struck first as Bracy carried three times on their opening drive, including a 21-yard touchdown run. Campolindo answered back with an 80-yard drive, taking a one-point lead on a 19-yard pass from Torchio to Ishida. Those two scores set the tone for a thrilling first half. Torchio threw for 350 yards and four touchdowns, while also getting 111 yards and a score on the ground.

Tyree Bracy connected with Tuni Faletau Fifita for two touchdown passes of 30 and 28 yards, and PJ Vai for a 20-yard touchdown pass for Milpitas. Torchio scored on a 59-yard keeper and threw two touchdown passes to Parker Windatt. After a procedure penalty called back what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown from Bracy, Robles kicked a 23-yard field goal that was removed from the board by another Milpitas penalty. Five yards back, Robles kicked the go-ahead field goal from 28-yards out.

The Cougars struggled to stop Bracy, despite a huge defensive effort by Tyler Darr and Torchio.

“Our kids fought hard,” Campolindo coach Kevin Macy said. “Milpitas played good. They made plays all night, they made big plays.”

Campolindo ends its season as NCS Division II Champions. Milpitas advances to the CIF 4-A state bowl game as they travel to Southwest-El Centro (14-0) next Saturday at 6:00 PM.

“Losing two straight NorCal games and three straight section championships,” said Bracy. “This feels great, finally getting over the hump.”