Football: Gauchos Show Improvement but Fall Short Against Campolindo

Campolindo 34, El Cerrito 13

The star: Returning to full health, Campolindo receiver Andrew Ahr caught six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted two passes from his safety position.

The turning point: After El Cerrito scored a tying touchdown with 1:05 remaining in the first half, Campolindo exploded down the field with a big-play passing game and scored on a Brett Stephens run to get a quick touchdown before halftime and take a lead the Cougars would never give up.

The quote: "We played tough, and we played with intensity. We're improving every week. I'm pleased with that." — El Cerrito coach Kenny Kahn

What's next?: The Gauchos travel to San Francisco to play at Lincoln next Saturday at 2 p.m.

Bottom line: The Gauchos are improving, but they're still getting beaten at the line of scrimmage. Campolindo pressured the quarterback and ran the ball effectively, continuing a season-long trend among El Cerrito opponents.

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The El Cerrito High football team began Friday's game against Campolindo the same way they finished last year's matchup with the Cougars — exploding downfield, overwhelming their opponent with speed and athleticism.

That lasted all of 11 seconds.

After the Gauchos' James Savage returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, Campolindo clamped down on defense and settled in on offense, eventually rolling to a 34-13 win. But although the Gauchos lost to an opponent they'd beaten the year before, coach Kenny Kahn was pleased with his team's effort.

"We played tough, and we played with intensity," Kahn said. "We're improving every week. I'm pleased with that."

Kahn was unhappy with the attention and intensity lapses his team showed in its first two losses, but he saw reason for optimism Friday.

"I'm pleased with the shift in attitude and preparation," Kahn said. "We had fewer penalties. We stayed focused."

But while the Gauchos searched for an identity, the Cougars came into their own, choking off El Cerrito's running game and sustaining long, balanced scoring drives. Campolindo sacked Gauchos quarterback Byron Thomas five times and held El Cerrito to minus-38 yards rushing.

"They're disciplined, and they execute, and they do what they need to do," Kahn said of the Cougars. "I feel like we improve every time we play them, but I feel like they also improve. They just get better and better."

Campolindo coach Kevin Macy was worried about the Gauchos' speed entering the game, and after Savage's game-opening kickoff return, he worried that his fears were coming true.

"That kickoff was the worst way we could have possibly started the game," said Macy, who noted that big returns had been the key to El Cerrito's win over Campolindo last year. "The scoreboard may have said we were only down seven, but it felt like we were down a lot more than that. It felt like it was going to be a long night."

It was Savage's second touchdown on a kickoff return in as many weeks. The running back has emerged as El Cerrito's big-play threat early in the season.

"He runs with power and with great vision," Kahn said. "He won't take a hit and just fall down. He keeps fighting."

Neither Savage nor any of the Gauchos' other tailbacks could spark the running game, but Thomas considered his solid play at quarterback. The senior completed 12 of 13 passes for 143 yards, including a two-yard touchdown pass to James Hodgson. But in addition to the five picks, Thomas was also intercepted twice, killing potential scoring chances for the Gauchos.

Kahn took his quarterback aside to give him a word of encouragement, and as his players gathered around him for the post-game talk, Kahn delivered a charge.

"We have seven more games, seven more opportunities," he said. "We can't play timid. Every play counts. There is no next time."

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Campolindo 34, El Cerrito 13

El Cerrito 7 6 0 0 — 13

Campolindo 6 14 7 7 — 34

Scoring summary

11:49, 1st: E — James Savage 90 kickoff return (Kevin Smith kick)

6:52, 1st: C — Erik Baker 23 run (kick failed)

4:39, 2nd: C — Andrew Ahr 4 pass from Brett Stephens (Jarrett Milner kick)

1:05, 2nd: E — James Hodgson 2 pass from Byron Thomas (kick failed)

0:23, 2nd: C — Stephens 6 run (Milner kick)

2:28, 3rd: C — Joey Bertrand 5 run (Milner kick)

0:36, 4th: C — Ahr 22 pass from Stephens

Individual statistics

Rushing (car-yards): C — Derick Margerum 16-72, Baker 9-66, Reiner Ebarle 9-37; E — Savage 10-17.

Passing (comp-att-yards-ints): C — Stephens 8-13-133-1, Nick Zolintakis 1-4-14-0; E — Thomas 12-23-143-2.

Receiving (rec-yards): C — Ahr 6-98, Marvell 1-27; E — Rovante Burgen 5-54, Kris Jackson 2-45.

Team offense (rush-pass-total)

Campolindo — 195-147-342

El Cerrito — -38-143-105

Fumbles/lost: Campolindo — 1/0; El Cerrito — 1/0

Records: Campolindo 3-0; El Cerrito 0-3