Acalanes strikes early, beats San Marin for NCS Division IV title

Paul Kuhner's kickoff return propels Acalanes past previously undefeated San Marin for NCS crown.

Acalanes kick returner Paul Kuhner put the San Marin High football team into an immediate hole to begin the North Coast Section Division IV title game at Santa Rosa High on Friday night.

Kuhner took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to set the tone as the Mustangs sustained a season-ending 24-7 defeat.

San Marin (12-1) saw its 17-game winning streak snapped and its hopes of a third consecutive state title come to an end.

The Mustangs drove for a tying touchdown — a 6-yard run by quarterback Dominic Ingrassia — in the second quarter. Acalanes kicked a 39-yard field goal as the first half ended to take a 10-7 lead into the break.

San Marin had opportunities to tie the game or take the lead by driving inside Acalanes’ 10-yard line twice in the third quarter. The first drive ended with a missed field goal from 26 yards out. Acalanes surged in front 17-7 on the next possession, capped by a touchdown pass from quarterback Sully Bailey to Niko White.

The second drive ended after the Mustangs lost 26 yards on an intentional grounding call on a third-and-2 play from the 4-yard line. A 47-yard field goal attempt came up just shy of the crossbar on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

From there, Acalanes drove the length of the field — overcoming a fumble and a fourth-and-8 conversion — to put the game out of reach when Bailey scored on a 1-yard keeper to extend to a 24-7 lead with under 7 minutes to play.

San Marin and Acalanes combined to put the ball on the ground five times on Friday night with three fumbles and two muffed punts. Acalanes recovered the ball on all five occasions — two of which resulted in San Marin turnovers.