PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill quarterback Nick Walsh (4) and Chris Lawson (22) celebrate a touchdown against San Leandro High in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Foothill had a 20-point lead before the first quarter ended Saturday night, and San Leandro never got closer than two scores after that during the Falcons’ 39-13 victory in the first round of the North Coast Section Division II playoffs.
Quarterback Nick Walsh was 14 of 20 for 289 yards and four touchdowns, with two of the scoring tosses going to Noah Lombardi and one each to Kenny Olson and Chris Lawson.
Foothill, which improved to 9-2 for the season and is seeded third for the playoffs, will visit No. 2 seed Rancho Cotate on Friday. San Leandro finishes its season at 6-4.
Walsh threw touchdown passes to Olson and Lawson in the first quarter, sandwiched around a touchdown run by sophomore Jackson Chandler.
PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill quarterback Nick Walsh (4) hands off the ball to Samear Lattier (2) against San Leandro High in the second half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
San Leandro briefly slowed the onslaught when Devan Daniels scored on a 30-yard run less than a minute into the second quarter, but those were the only points in the period except for a 36-yard field goal by Foothill’s Adam Harbourne that made it 23-7 at the half.
Foothill eventually built its lead to 37-7 before finally taking its foot off the gas.
“This was a heckuva win,” Foothill coach Greg Haubner said. “Anytime you play San Leandro, you know you’re in for a fight. The defense played well throughout the game, we had good field position twice in the first quarter and capitalized, and we had a number of big plays.
“Nick Walsh was fantastic.”
As he has been all season. Walsh has thrown 33 touchdown passes and has scored seven rushing touchdowns.
This was the third time in the last five seasons that Foothill and San Leandro have met in the postseason. The Falcons have a 2-1 edge. It will also be the third straight time Foothill has reached the semifinals.
Haubner was hoping Foothill would play an opponent a little close to Pleasanton. Rancho Cotate is close to two hours from the Foothill campus. But If the Falcons continue to play as they did Saturday night, the bus ride home from Rancho Cotate will seem a lot shorter.
PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill quarterback Nick Walsh (4) looks to pass against San Leandro High in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill’s Tony Schillaci (1) goes out of bounds after running for a first down against San Leandro High in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: San Leandro’s Devan Daniels (26) outruns Foothill’s Jackson Chandler (21) for a touchdown in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: San Leandro’s Guillermo Norberto (75) can’t block a field goal against Foothill High in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill’s Tony Schillaci (1) cannot pass the San Leandro’s defense on the line of scrimmage in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Foothill quarterback Nick Walsh (4) is sacked by San Leandro’s Joshua Nisa (52) in the first half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) PLEASANTON, CA – NOVEMBER 13: San Leandro’s Taylor Fortier (4) runs with the ball for a big gain against Foothill High in the second half of their North Coast Section Division II first-round playoff game at Foothill High in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
