The Heroes of Yesteryear – who knew David wore a Viking hat? In its closest game of the year, the Palo Alto High School football team (14-0) toppled Centennial High School (14-1) with a thrilling 15-13 victory, taking home the California Interscholastic Federation Division I State Championship.
In what was supposed to be a blowout, defenses shined, and the Viking “swarm” was the brighter of the two. Centennial’s prolific offense, which never scored fewer than 42 points this season, was stifled by a Viking defense that allowed over 15 points only one time on the year.
“I’m numb right now,” Paly defensive coordinator Jake Halas said. “I started to keel over after [we won], I couldn’t believe it. These guys, they’re warriors. In every playoff game we were the underdog, but they just played. I’d take my guys over theirs any day.”
The difference maker was not a big pass, a turnover or a field goal, as nothing about this game was stereotypical for either team. It was an early first quarter safety, caused by a low Centennial snap from within their own 25-yard line, that bounced all the way into the end zone, where Viking defenders touched down star Husky quarterback Michael Eubank (‘11) for two points.
The Vikings threatened to score on their following two drives, but could not convert, getting stopped both times, the latter on fourth down. The Paly defense answered back, however, stuffing Centennial’s star running back Barrington Collins (‘11) on fourth down before the first quarter came to a close.
Neither team managed to build momentum through much of the second quarter, until Paly engineered a strong drive deep into Husky territory. From the 11-yard line, Viking quarterback Christoph Bono (‘11) dropped back, escaped pressure, like he had all night, and threw a dart to wide receiver Davante Adams (‘11) who leaped in the back of the end zone for the score.
“We knew if we played our best game, we’d come out on top,” Adams said. “Big players make big plays, and we showed that tonight.”
The Huskies, looking to close the gap, pushed their way toward midfield, when Paly linebacker Morris Gates-Mouton (‘12) delivered a punishing blow to Collins, who coughed up the football for the second time in the half. Collins, who had been averaging nearly 200 rushing yards a game for the season, managed 68 yards on 14 carries in the first half, but was sidelined for the second half due to injury.
The Husky defense did not lay down either, stopping Paly on fourth down again with 3:48 remaining in the half. On the ensuing Centennial drive, Eubank faked a run to Collins, and completed a 44-yard strike deep down the middle of the field to wide receiver Eric Finney (‘11). But that did not faze the swarm. On fourth and goal from the eight-yard line, the Huskies tried to pound it in on a quarterback keeper, but Eubank was smothered.
Thirty seconds later, Paly tacked on another score. Bono, under pressure yet again, scrambled away and threw up a pass to wide receiver Maurice Williams (‘11). Covered by two Centennial defenders, Williams leaped in the air and reeled in the ball – but he was not finished. After coming down with the catch, Williams broke a tackle a sprinted toward the middle of the field, and it was off to the races as he strode into the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown. After a failed two-point conversion, the Vikings went into the locker room on top 15-0. Bono went on to finish his high school career with a stunning performance, racking up 216 yards and two touchdowns on 13-for-22 passing, while avoiding pressure from the Husky defense countless times.
“He was feeling it tonight,” Paly quarterback coach and father of Christoph, Steve Bono said. “You could tell by the way he moved around and made some things happen, getting out of trouble and finding people open. He was definitely feeling it.”
Despite the lead, the Vikings could not settle in, because it did not take long for the high-powered Husky offense to kick in. From his own 20-yard line, Eubank, off a fake to Collins’ replacement, running back Romello Goodman (‘12), ran to the outside and dashed up the sideline before Viking safety Bill Gray (‘11) tracked him down at the three-yard line. One play later, Goodman punched it in for a touchdown, tightening the gap to 15-7.
Goodman provided the spark the Huskies needed, as the wet conditions and untimely penalties made it hard for them to string together a solid drive. He finished the game with 95 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, all in the second half.
“Barrington was dinged up, but Goodman filled in and did a great job,” Centennial head coach Matt Logan said. “He ran hard like he’s done all year for us.”
The tables started to turn as the Huskies sacked Bono on third down on consecutive drives. After an electric 41-yard scamper by Goodman to the Paly four-yard line, the Viking defense made a statement, shutting Centennial down on next three plays, bringing up fourth down and goal from the two-yard line. The ball was snapped to Eubank, and as he tried to power his way into the end zone, the swarm stood him up and knocked him back for a loss, preserving Paly’s lead with 3:36 to play in the third quarter.
“Greatest day of my life,” linebacker Michael Cullen (‘11) said. “We played as a team, like we have all year, and stopped the number one offense in California history.”
When the fourth quarter rolled around, the name of the game for Paly became ‘run down the clock.’ The Paly rushing attack, led by the duo of Dre Hill (‘12) and B.J. Boyd (‘12) did its job, working hard to earn crucial first downs and keeping the ball in the Viking offense’s hands. Hill and Boyd combined for 83 yards on 27 carries. But as time winded down, Centennial began to mount a comeback.
The Huskies pushed their way downfield, forcing themselves into Paly territory, where Eubank, the one-man wrecking crew, broke away and ran for a 33-yard score. Centennial, trying for the two-point conversion, had Eubank run yet again, only to be stuffed by the stout Viking defense. While Paly held the Husky quarterback to just 84 yards on 7-for-17 passing, Eubank’s legs carried him for nearly 150 yards and two touchdowns.
“[Centennial’s] got a lot of pure athletes,” Halas said. “But they’re kids too.”
The final minutes had everyone in the stands biting their nails. After a dropped pass by Williams prevented Paly from moving the chains with only 2:30 left on the clock, Paly lined up to punt. Bono, who had a punt for over 60 yards earlier in the game, kicked the ball poorly, giving Centennial excellent field position in Paly territory. The pressure on and the clock running down, it was now or never for the Husky offense. The swarm stood strong, however, forcing another fourth down out of Centennial. But this time, Eubank was nowhere to be seen – the Huskies had sent out their field goal unit for a 42-yard attempt with 35.4 seconds remaining.
“We were pretty happy they were going to go for a field goal,” Paly head coach Earl Hansen said. “We’d rather have that than the ball go to [Eubank].”
Centennial snapped the ball, the hold was good, but Williams could not let that dropped pass come back to haunt him. As Husky kicker Ezequiel Rivera (‘11) connected with the football, Williams flew in front of the kick and deflected it, sending the Paly sideline into an uproar. One kneel-down later the Vikings were state champions.
“It’s indescribable,” lineman Tory Prati (’12) said. “We worked all year for this, we got better every day. It was a total team effort, we played as a unit.”
