Close call: Serra gets a challenge from Valley Christian but survives
In a season filled with blowouts, Serra led by just a point late in third quarter against Valley Christian before prevailing.
It’s rare for a team to go through an entire season playing at its best in every game, even one as strong as Serra.
The Padres had rolled to an 8-0 record, winning each game by an average of 35 points.
In five West Catholic Athletic League wins, the average score was 51-8.
But against Valley Christian on Friday, the margin wasn’t anything like that as Serra survived on the road 24-13.
With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, Serra clung to a 14-13 advantage. Then quarterback Maealiuaki Smith threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kyon Loud, making it 21-13 with 1:27 left in the period.
That was followed by a 31-yard field goal by Thomas Gooch with 8:18 left in the game.
Serra is 9-0 with one game remaining next Friday at home against St. Ignatius.
No matter the outcome, the Padres will be the No. 1 seed in the Central Coast Section Open/Division I playoffs.
While Serra might not have played its best game Friday, Valley Christian is a prideful program that has traditionally played the Padres competitively, particularly in San Jose.
The Warriors are 5-4 overall, 2-4 in the WCAL and will receive an invite to the CCS playoffs win or lose next Friday against Mitty.
Valley Christian entered the game against Serra having lost its last two games by a total of 11 points.
Serra took a 7-0 lead right away, but the host Warriors tied it early in the second quarter on a short pass from Joseph Stephens to Kai Hamilton.
Serra got the lead back a little more than a minute later on a 21-yard run by Jaden Green for a 14-7 advantage at halftime.
Valley Christian struck first after intermission when Stephens hooked up with Jerod White on a 16-yard toss. The extra point was no good, allowing Serra to keep a one-point advantage.
It quickly expanded to eight on Smith’s pass to Loud and Gooch’s extra point.
Then Gooch made it a two-score game with his field goal.
Serra had the kind of win that typically defines teams having a special season. The Padres were a little off and still returned home with a double-digit win.