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Published on 10/12/1998 All articles from this issue

MV miscues ensure happy homecoming for LA

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By Pete Borello

Town Crier Staff Writer

Maybe there's something to playing a homecoming game away from home.

After all, the Los Altos High football team looked pretty comfortable last Friday night at Foothill College.

The Eagles beat Mountain View High 24-13 to improve their record to 3-0 in the SCVAL El Camino Division and 5-1 overall.

Not that the Spartans did much to prevent a successful homecoming for their district rivals. In fact, Mountain View (0-2, 1-5) aided the Los Altos cause by committing five turnovers. These miscues resulted in 14 points - which just so happened to be the Eagles' margin of victory.

The most costly turnover came midway through the third quarter, with the Spartans clinging to a 13-10 lead. Return man Leemone Young muffed a punt along the right sideline, and Los Altos recovered at the Mountain View 35-yard line.

"That was the play of the game," said Los Altos coach Ron Moser. "It really turned things around."

That it did. Quarterback Jose Murillo scored nine plays later on a 3-yard run up the middle. Alex Ware's extra point pushed the Eagles' advantage to 17-13.

The Spartans' next possession also came to an abrupt - and damaging - end.

Quarterback Jim Starrett dropped back to pass on first down, but a pursuing Pete Bjorklund of Los Altos knocked the ball from his hands. The standout defensive lineman then pounced on the pigskin at the Mountain View 31.

Seven plays later, fullback Chris Mazurkiewicz scored on a 2-yard plunge, giving Los Altos a healthy cushion with 10:24 to play. Mazurkiewicz wound up with a game-high 95 yards on 20 carries.

The Spartans' hopes for a comeback were dashed on their next series. Starrett was intercepted at the Los Altos 24 when defensive back Matt Charles snatched a pass deflected by Baker.

Starrett, under pressure all evening, tossed three interceptions in all and was sacked five times.

"Our quarterback didn't have time to throw," said Mountain View coach Dan Navarro. "Our line is a little shell-shocked right now."

Blasting through for three of the sacks was Brent Brauner, who Moser called "the unsung hero." Brauner pushed Mountain View out of field goal range just before halftime by dropping Starrett three times in four plays. This allowed Los Altos to jog into the locker room with a 10-0 lead.

The Spartans, however, were able to overcome this deficit in the third quarter - with some help from Los Altos' Verdine Baker.

The halfback, who scored on a 16-yard run late in the first half, fumbled on back-to-back possessions to open the second half. Mountain View capitalized by scoring a pair of touchdowns within the initial five minutes of the quarter.

The first score came on a 9-yard dash by halfback Eddie Richardson, who spun away from a lunging Ware at the goal line. All told, Richardson rushed for a team-high 81 yards. Young accounted for the other touchdown, weaving down the left sideline on a 30-yard run.

But these turned out to be the only offensive highlights for the Spartans, who made just five first downs all game.

The Eagles hope to shut down Gunn (2-0, 4-2) in a similar fashion at 3:15 p.m. Friday in Palo Alto. The winner of this game will stand alone atop the division and be in great position to win it.

Mountain View, meanwhile, will try to climb out of the cellar. The Spartans play Lynbrook (0-2, 2-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Cupertino High.