http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_29206206/ncs-football:-campolindo-wins-division-3-title
PLEASANT HILL — Max Flower gripped the North Coast Section championship plaque as surely as he grabbed the game-sealing touchdown Friday, ready to lead the Campolindo High football team into a crowd of supporters after the Cougars repeated as Division 3 champions with a 38-28 win over Analy-Sebastapol.
On fourth and goal with just over three minutes remaining, Flower leapt and snagged a 6-yard touchdown that put the contest out of reach.
“We knew in the red zone they’d bite hard on it,” Flower said. “We ran it perfectly.”
Jack Cassidy had two rushing touchdowns and Niki Moore tallied 157 rushing yards for the Cougars (13-1).
By beating previously undefeated Analy (13-1) in the title game at Diablo Valley College, Campolindo stepped out of the shadow of last year’s state champion squad and into its own limelight.
“This was a brand new group of kids with a lot of pressure on them,” Cougars coach Kevin Macy said. “This is maybe more impressive than what happened last year.”
That’s because Campolindo had to withstand the Tigers storming back behind quarterback Jack Newman, who orchestrated a second-half rally after the Cougars scored the game’s first 28 points.
“The defense was under intense pressure, but they just kept the pressure up,” Macy said. “Our defense played incredible.”
Analy nearly netted the first points, but its 23-yard field goal try was blocked by Moore. The Tigers’ next offensive play was a pass into the end zone that Dante DeLuca intercepted.
Campolindo quarterback Jacob Westphal connected with Kannah Cruikshank for 43 yards down the middle and then tossed wide right to Madison Young, who stretched for the pylon to finish off a 13-yard touchdown.
Sterling Strother sacked Newman to stop a reply from Analy, and Westphal went to work again. Two first-down passes set up Cassidy’s 5-yard touchdown run.
Campolindo’s next drive was powered by Moore, whose 35 yards on three carries preceded a 25-yard touchdown catch by Flower.
The Tigers’ nerves showed on their ensuing possession. Three dropped passes, including one that likely would’ve been a touchdown, led to a punt that went just 13 yards.
From there, Moore toted the ball three times for 26 yards, and Cassidy scored from 2 yards out.
Then Newman finally found a rhythm, tossing twice for first downs before a 45-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Vogel.
Campolindo drove for a field goal that proved to be enough for the victory. But not without some sweating in the second half.
Newman had most of his 313 passing yards in the second half and finished 26 for 57. Two 1-yard touchdown runs by Isaac Kangas and a 9-yard scoring toss by Newman got the Tigers within 31-21 of Campolindo before Flower’s second touchdown grab put away the game.
“The coaches told him, ‘You’re going to have to go alpha male,’ ” Macy said. “He had a shoulder injury earlier this season, so we really had to lay low with him most of the year. But we said, ‘Now is your time.’ He just stepped up big tonight.”
Division 3 championship
Analy 0 7 7 14– 28
Campolindo 7 24 0 7– 38
C — Young 13 pass from Westphal (Blair kick)
C — Cassidy 5 run (Blair kick)
C — Flower 25 pass from Westphal (Blair kick)
C — Cassidy 2 run (Blair kick)
A — Vogel 45 pass from Newman (Parks kick)
C — Blair 23 FG
A — Kangas 1 run (Parks kick)
A — Kangas 1 run (Parks kick)
C — Flower 6 pass from Westphal (Blair kick)
A — Housman 9 pass from Newman (Parks kick)