MOUNTAIN VIEW – We know “Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose” – the slogan of the fictional Dillon High football team in the TV series “Friday Night Lights.”
But Serra High can counter with this: “Head down. Belly empty.”
“That’s what our coach likes to say,” said Serra senior receiver and captain Joey Villaroman. “Just be hungry.”
The slogan carried special meaning for Serra, which pulled away from St. Francis, 29-7, with a big second half in a West Catholic Athletic League opener Friday at Brother Fischer Field.
Serra was forced to stay hungry because of the four-game gauntlet the Padres, the Bay Area News Group’s top-ranked team, opened the season with. Despite each nonleague victory over the likes of Folsom, De La Salle, and Central Catholic – each a regional power – the Padres were forced to regather themselves each time or risk a letdown.
It didn’t happen. Serra, Folsom, and De La Salle are ranked 4-through-6 in the Cal-Hi Sports state rankings, and St. Francis is No. 49. But only Serra among them is 4-0.
“You look at the schedule and you see those games lined up … it’s been really hard. I’m not going to lie,” Serra coach Patrick Walsh said. “It’s been a grind, but I’m so proud of how everyone has dealt with it. We’ve spent a lot of energy to get to this point.”
St. Francis “hung tough,” as coach Greg Calcagno said, but “we’ve got to finish.”
Instead, Serra extended an 8-7 halftime lead with 21 unanswered points through the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to win going away.
Maealiuaki Smith completed 20 of 28 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for the Padres, who held St. Francis to only 96 yards and prevented the Lancers from gaining a first down until their fifth possession.
St. Francis (1-3), the defending WCAL champion, managed only 23 yards on 23 carries and was unable to mount much of a passing attack to make up for it. Seamus Gilmartin, Danny Niu, and Collin Tahitua had sacks, and Jaden Green intercepted a pass for Serra.
Offensively, Serra decided to simplify its game plan by being patient and taking what the defense was giving rather than looking for the big play. The Padres noticed that the St. Francis corners were lining up deep enough to give up the short outside passes, and that’s where Serra attacked throughout the second half.
When St. Francis got wise, Jayden Weber sliced through the Lancers’ zone for a 25-yard scoring reception to put Serra ahead 15-7 with 8:18 left in the third quarter. After a St. Francis three-and-out, the Padres went to Villaroman three times on the next drive, including a three-yarder on fourth-and-goal for a 22-7 lead.
Walsh knew Villaroman, who had six catches for 62 yards, would have a big game. During the team’s day-before-a-game chapel service following Thursday’s practice, Villaroman spoke to his teammates about not taking any game or opportunity for granted.
“My sophomore year, I tore my ACL,” Villaroman said Friday about his message to the team. “I did everything I could to come back, but I came back too early and tore it again my first game back. It’s taken everything to come back – to work hard and not feel sorry for myself.
“I just wanted the team to know, don’t take any game for granted. I was on top of the world and it was all taken away. Every game, I’m coming out as hard as I can, because I never know if it might be my last. I definitely learned that first hand.”
Villaroman’s words were so moving and heartfelt that, “when I heard him speak, I knew he was going to have a great night,” Walsh said. “When someone expresses energy like that, it usually matches with a really strong performance and that’s what we got from Joey.”
Serra’s brutal schedule continues next Friday when it plays host to undefeated Archbishop Mitty in another WCAL showdown. Meanwhile, St. Francis will try to halt a three-game losing streak at St. Ignatius.
“Serra’s a very good football team, probably the best that Patrick’s had,” Calcagno said. “I’m proud of our guys, there are things we can build on. I’m very proud of our effort, but obviously not the result. But there are things we can build on. We’ll keep working on those.”
