The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
College of San Mateo unleashed one of the greatest rushing onslaughts in JC football history in a record setting 77-14 victory over host West Valley College in Saratoga Saturday night.
The Bulldogs smashed their week-old school rushing mark with an astonishing 592 yards – a spectacular 12 yards per carry. They also set CSM records for most points in a game, most touchdowns (11), and most conversion kicks (11 by Terra Nova grad Juan Garcia).
CSM (3-0), ranked second nationally and No. 3 in the state, scored 77 unanswered points after the winless Vikings (0-3) struck first by completing a 70-yard drive on quarterback Tyler Ippoliti’s 1-yard run with 5:40 left in the first quarter. Ippoliti also threw for the game concluding TD – 77 points later.
It took until 3:37 remaining in the first period before the Bulldogs got on the board, on a 6-yard run by Vaughn Smith (who had two TDs). CSM then rolled for 42 second period points and a commanding 49-7 halftime lead.
The win sets up next Saturday’s matchup of the two highest scoring (and also unbeaten) teams in Northern California. Crossbay rival Chabot (3-0) visits San Mateo for the 1 p.m. contest.
Chabot defeated Hartnell, 55-38, Saturday.
No. 2 quarterback Miles Freeman continued to lead the Bulldogs’ rushing attack — with 155 yards on just seven carries, including second quarter TD runs of 39 and 20 yards. That came on the heals of his 13 for 146-yard effort in the previous week’s 51-10 win at Reedley – when the Bulldogs set the previous school rushing record of 459 yards.
Reserve running back Bill Nyantyaki, on his first ever carry, broke the rushing record with a 9-yard run with three minutes left in the third quarter. CSM did not throw a pass in the second half, but the Vikings still couldn’t stop their opponents.
Seta Pohahau rushed for 109 yards on five carries (including a 59-yard TD) and Nyantyaki finished with 87 on nine tries. Nate Newman had 60 yards on five carries and scored twice.
Freeman completed his only pass attempt, for 43 yards to Therman McGowman, and finished with 198 yards of total offense on just eight plays.
San Mateo could have easily put 84 points on the board. With two minutes remaining, however, and the ball on the West Valley 2-yard line, Bulldogs’ coach Bret Pollack called for three kneeldowns to end the game.
The former CSM scoring record was 74 points, set against Solano in 2006.
San Mateo signal callers threw just eight passes, completed six for 97 yards. They included the go-ahead score just eight seconds into the second quarter on a 30 yards pass from Julian Bernard to Tana Afeaki, the only passing TD by the Bulldogs.
CSM totaled 689 yards on just 57 plays and had the ball for only 26 minutes and 13 seconds, compared to 33:47 for the Vikings.
Brandon Francesconi led the Bulldogs on defense with seven tackles, five unassisted. Mike Wallace had six tackles and Alex Hubbard had five – each with four unassisted. Five CSM players recorded sacks and the Bulldogs did not give up a sack.
