Palo Alto Demolishes Wilcox 42-13

Opponents have struggled all season to find a solution for Palo Alto senior B.J. Boyd, and tonight was no exception. Wilcox (1-3-1, 0-1-1) drew first blood early on, but the Vikings (4-1, 2-0) proceeded to put up 42 unanswered points, thumping the visiting Chargers 42-13 to remain undefeated in league.

“I thought we did well,” Palo Alto Head Coach Earl Hansen said. “A convincing win against a good team, and I thought we improved from .”

Wilcox forced a three-and-out from Palo Alto’s offense to start the game, and on the following drive, Wilcox senior quarterback Andrew Aguilar swung a screen pass out left to senior runningback Keenan Gates, who took it down field for a 60-yard touchdown.

For the second game in a row, the Vikings surrendered the game’s first touchdown in the first two minutes. It is also the second game in a row where Boyd has taken the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, this time for 80 yards – his fourth kickoff return for a touchdown this season.

“We can strike quickly [with our explosiveness], but we’d still like to see some longer drives,” Palo Alto Assistant Coach Steve Foug said.

After an unsuccessful drive by the Chargers, it didn’t take long for Palo Alto to strike again. With 7:40 to play in the first quarter, Viking senior runningback Morris Gates-Mouton took his first handoff of the night at the heart of the Wilcox defense, cut outside, and behind a pivotal block by Boyd, ran it the distance for a 56-yard score.

The Chargers saw the game slipping away quickly, but Wilcox senior runningback Roland Luke gave them hope. Just 16 seconds later, Luke broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and ran up the sideline for 51 yards before Viking junior cornerback Jayshawn Gates-Mouton tracked him down at the Paly 41-yard line. However, the Chargers failed to capitalize on the drive, which ended in a punt. As the game’s leading rusher, Luke scampered for 110 yards on 11 carries.

“We were doing great, we just made a couple mistakes,” Luke said. “We’ll probably see [Palo Alto] in the playoffs, but we’re just looking to the next game.”

The Chargers found themselves deep in Palo Alto territory twice more in the first half, but both drives ended with failed field goals, the first being blocked by Viking runningback Dre Hill. A little over six minutes after his block, with 6:58 to play in the second quarter, Hill dashed through a large hole created by the left side of his offensive line, sprinting up field for a 69-yard touchdown. Hill, the workhorse of the Palo Alto running game, rushed the ball 12 times for 106 yards and the lone touchdown.

Wilcox’s offense still had no answer for the Viking’s sturdy defense. Palo Alto sacked Aguilar six times, five of them in the first half.

Senior defensive ends Michael Lyzwa and Tory Prati led the game with a sack and half each, while sophomore cornerback Malcolm Davis and junior safety Matt Tolbert had an interception a piece in the second half.

“We definitely had a lot more chemistry going into this game,” Palo Alto senior defensive tackle Nathan Hubbard said. “We were just focused on completing the game and not stopping after one half. We’ve got to finish, and that’s what we came here to do.”

With only three minutes remaining in the half, the Vikings were not satisfied with their lead. Palo Alto quarterback Keller Chryst would hook up with Boyd for two more scores before the break, the first coming on a lob to the endzone from the Wilcox 36-yard line, and the second on a slant over the middle, which Boyd reeled in prior to breaking two tackles, stopping on a dime, and cutting back the opposite direction en route to a 48-yard score. Boyd would add another catch for 41 yards in the second half, corralling 210 all-purpose yards before Palo Alto’s second-team offense stepped in.

Each team would score once more fourth quarter before the clock ran out. Chryst would connect with Jayshawn on a slant route on fourth down, which the younger Gates-Mouton would bring down field for Palo Alto’s sixth score of the game. Chryst compiled 187 yards and three touchdowns through the air. On the other side of the ball, Aguilar heaved a deep pass over the top of the Viking defense to junior tight end Mo Iese for a 40-yard strike. The Charger’s signal caller finished his night 10-for-22 for 187 yards of his own, along with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“We’re feeling it,” Chryst said. “We’re trusting each other with everything, and that’s what we have to do, just believe in one another.”

Palo Alto will visit Los Gatos High School next Friday at 7:30 p.m. for another De Anza Division showdown.