Acalanes freshman football lost its season opener 28-0 to Archbishop Mitty at Los Lomas High School in Walnut Creek.
Mitty scored three touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the second quarter to blow the game open. Quarterback Jordan Gascon connected with William Ludlow on touchdown passes of 4 and 11 yards, and Mason Maningo added a 7-yard scoring run with 49 seconds left in the half to make it 21-0.
The Dons' offense struggled all game. Acalanes alternated quarterbacks Eli Cooley and James McCallister, but the pair combined for just 60 yards passing. Tate Foster led the ground game with 12 yards on eight carries.
"Mitty's three inside defensive linemen were big and very good," coach Dana Hemmingsen told Acalanes Boosters. "That put a lot of pressure on our offense right out of the gate. We won't see that caliber again this season."
The game was moved to Los Lomas because of a scheduling conflict at Acalanes.
Hemmingsen pointed to bright spots on the defensive side. Kai Harmeyer forced a fumble on the game's second play, stripping a screen pass to Ludlow and recovering the ball at Mitty's 31-yard line. Jovani Bordi, Case Feinberg, Beckett Mason and Harmeyer each broke up a pass. Dylan Andersen added a tackle for loss.
The Dons' best defensive sequence came with 6:41 left in the fourth quarter. After Mitty quarterback Bryson Engin hit Grayson Fallis for a 28-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the 3-yard line, Acalanes held firm. Sam Kubas made a tackle for loss on second down, and Lachlan Kalberg stopped the ball carrier at the 1-yard line on fourth down to complete the goal-line stand.
Kubas was named Scout Team Player of the Week.
Acalanes forced punts on Mitty's first two possessions of the second half before the goal-line stand. Paxton Magto's 5-yard touchdown run with 55 seconds remaining accounted for the final margin.
Hemmingsen said he was proud of how his players battled. Team captains Andersen, Caelen Birrell, Cooley and McCallister were named before the game.
The freshman Dons travel to American Canyon at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
