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Published on 11/03/1999 All articles from this issue

Gunn routs Mtn. View in battle for first place

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By Craig Wentz

Special to the Town Crier

In what was a three-horse race for the SCVAL El Camino Division football title last week has come down to a winner-take-all game this Friday night.

Mountain View, Gunn and Santa Clara all headed into action last weekend unbeaten in league play. But after Gunn (5-0, 6-2) ruined Mountain View's homecoming with a 42-7 triumph, the league crown will be decided on Friday when the Titans take on host Santa Clara (5-0, 7-1) in a 7:30 p.m. game at Townsend Field.

Friday's winner will not only claim the El Camino Division championship, but also receive the league's only guaranteed spot in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

"For the team and the school, Friday's game will determine whether we're a solid football program - it's a benchmark game," said Gunn third-year coach Jeff Remington. "We wouldn't have it any other way. This is why you play football."

Gunn hasn't won a league championship since 1971 and is one of only a few schools never to qualify for the CCS playoffs. So, it's easy to recognize that Friday's match-up will be the program's most important in its last 278 games.

Mountain View (5-1, 5-3) grabbed an early 7-0 lead last Saturday, marching 71 yards in eight plays, culminating on Ricardo Lopez's 18-yard touchdown run. Then Gunn woke up and pasted 42 unanswered points on the Spartans.

Senior fullback Lei Likio tied the game at 7-7 with a 3-yard scoring run early in the second quarter, then senior defensive end Tom Woo returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown to give the Titans a 14-7 lead at halftime.

Gunn utilized its explosive running game to the tune of 265 yards for the contest and held Mountain View to just seven second-half yards in the rout.

Junior wingback Ryan Hayes scored a pair of touchdowns, on an 18-yard toss from senior quarterback Justin Silverman and on a 13-yard run. Senior halfback Curtis Walker gained 90 yards for the game and scored on a 22-yard touchdown run.

Likio led the Titans with 122 yards rushing on 20 carries and added a 3-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Mountain View was paced by Lopez, who garnered 72 yards rushing on 19 carries.

Mountain View probably will have to beat visiting Los Gatos in a non-league contest Friday (2:45 p.m.) and win at Santa Clara on Nov. 12 to make the postseason.