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Published on 10/05/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altos continues to put up the points

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By Pete Borello

Town Crier Staff Writer

The San Francisco 49ers aren't the only Bay Area football team scoring points with the greatest of ease.

Los Altos High is also keeping scoreboard operators on their toes this fall.

The host Eagles flattened Fremont 42-13 last Friday - a result with a familiar ring to it. That's because Los Altos clobbered Cupertino by the identical score the week before.

In five games, the Eagles have put up 146 points, a hearty average of 29.2 per contest. No wonder the team is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the SCVAL El Camino Division.

Statistically, the Fremont game was Los Altos' most dominant effort of them all. The Eagles rolled up a season-high 518 yards of offense and didn't punt once.

"We spread the ball around, which makes us hard to defend," said Los Altos coach Ron Moser. "We like that."

Three Los Altos players surpassed the 100-yard mark in rushing: halfbacks Mike Chauvel (13 carries for 114 yards) and Verdine Baker (8-112), plus fullback Chris Mazurkiewicz (13-100). Each of them scored a touchdown as well.

While most of the damage was done on the ground, the Eagles also doused the Firebirds (2-3, 0-2) through the air.

Quarterback Jose Murillo had his finest game of the year, connecting on six of his eight passes for 145 yards and a pair of scores. He also ran for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter, scampering down the left sideline on a quarterback keeper.

"He was our best player (last Friday)," Moser said. "He had a heck of a day for a quarterback."

The Los Altos defense had a pretty good day, too. The Eagles allowed just one touchdown (Fremont's other score came on a 60-yard fumble return) and forced five turnovers.

The Firebirds fumbled the ball away on their first two possessions, and Los Altos capitalized on the second miscue. Mazurkiewicz capped a nine-play, 43-yard drive with a 3-yard burst into the end zone. This gave the Eagles a 14-0 edge.

Fremont soon cut that lead in half on fullback David Elliot's 4-yard touchdown run. But the Firebirds would get no closer.

Shortly before halftime, Murillo hooked up with Eric Handa for a 41-yard touchdown. Handa was nearly tackled at the 10-yard line, but he ducked a defender and cruised in for the score.

Los Altos extended its lead early in the third, thanks to the play of ironman Alex Ware.

His interception of Jason Placencia's pass on Fremont's first play of the half gave Los Altos possession at midfield. Four plays later, Ware took a short toss from Murillo and escaped down the left sideline for a 46-yard touchdown. Ware then kicked the extra point, putting Los Altos ahead 28-7.

By quarter's end, the Eagles had two more touchdowns to seal Fremont's fate.

The Eagles will look to pick up where they left off when they face rival Mountain View at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Foothill College.