SAN JOSE — Willow Glen’s model of soccer isn’t flashy.
The Rams aren’t going to overwhelm you with explosive performs. They might pop one often.
However that’s not their M.O.
Willow Glen goes to ram the road of scrimmage many times, each offensively and defensively, till it will get its method. And this season, that’s been sufficient for the Rams to win each sport they’ve performed.
Willow Glen capped its historic 12 months with a 23-0 win over Leland on Thursday evening in San Jose. It’s the Rams’ first undefeated regular-season marketing campaign within the MaxPreps period (since 2004) and believed to be their first since 1966.
Willow Glen’s Chris Amann (21) celebrates his landing towards Leland with Gavin Ferraro (5) within the fourth quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
With Thursday evening’s victory, Willow Glen (10-0, 5-0) additionally clinched the outright championship within the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa – Valley Division.
“I get emotional thinking about it,” stated coach Oscar Caballero. “It’s a particular factor that occurred to a particular group. I actually imagine that our group’s a particular group. From faculty, from gamers to households to neighborhood, all the things in between is particular. The best way they play this sport and decide to the game, particular.
“We talked about it right before the game, we talked about it at halftime. We’re not a perfect team. We’re not perfect players, we’re not perfect coaches, but we’re imperfectly perfect. We were meant to be around each other.”
Maybe it was meant to be. However Willow Glen nonetheless needed to exit and beat Leland (7-3, 4-1), and the Rams did so within the methodical trend they’ve perfected all season.
Willow Glen’s Max Broadhead (43) stops a run by Leland’s Brady Hernandez (4) within the third quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
On the primary play of the second quarter, Chris Amann capped a 12-play drive with a 3-yard landing run. Later within the interval, Willow Glen compelled and recovered a fumble on a hook-and-ladder play by Leland.
The Rams didn’t fiddle on their subsequent drive. On the primary play, quarterback Aiden Akery discovered Gavin Ferraro on a deep shot down the precise sideline, and Ferraro sprinted away for a 53-yard exclamation level proper earlier than the half.
“It’s the energy and the dedication,” Akery stated. “All of us want it more than the other team, really. And we’re always on each other, trying to fix up every little mistake. We want perfection, and that’s what we’re striving to get.”
Aydin Babic stretched Willow Glen’s lead with a 37-yard discipline aim late within the third quarter, then the Rams unveiled their pièce de résistance. Up 16-0, the Rams opted for an onside kick and executed it completely.
Willow Glen kicker Aydin Babic (22) celebrates a discipline aim towards Leland within the third quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
Babic booted an ideal popup for Spencer Bartlinski, who settled beneath the ball at Leland’s 46-yard line. Later within the quarter, Willow Glen rolled the cube yet another time and got here by way of as soon as once more, sealing the victory with a fourth-down, 35-yard TD move from Akery to Amann.
“If you look at this game, we were able to do the things that we were able to do because we were aggressive,” Caballero stated. “That’s how we played in all three phases of the game, so it paid off.”
Akery, as he has been all 12 months, was the catalyst for Willow Glen’s offense. The fearless junior, in his first 12 months as a starter, ran for 61 yards on 16 carries and accomplished 12 of 17 passes for 195 yards.
Akery has led Willow Glen in each passing and dashing all season, and the Rams wouldn’t be undefeated with out the constant contributions of their signal-caller every week.
Willow Glen quarterback Aiden Akery (12) escapes a sort out try by Leland’s Steven Younger (1) within the third quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
“Everything he’s done this year has been exactly what we needed,” Caballero stated. “Honestly, we didn’t know what we had at the beginning of the year. And gosh, boy, has he been plenty for us. He’s been plenty, for sure.”
All isn’t misplaced for Leland. Although the Chargers won’t grasp a banner this season as league champions, they may have a CCS playoff sport to sit up for subsequent week.
That was the silver lining coach Kelly King Jr. emphasised to maintain his gamers’ spirits up within the postgame huddle.
“Definitely give them a lot of credit,” King Jr. stated. “10-0, they deserved all the things they received. They principally got here out and kicked our butt. We didn’t play very effectively, after which they type of took it to us a bit of bit.
Leland quarterback Jacob Gibson (3) is sacked by Willow Glen’s Haas Perry (8) within the third quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
“A lot of times when you lose a game like this, your season’s over or something like that. We’re in the unique position where we’re playing for a championship, but if you lose, you get to keep playing. Obviously, they’re disappointed, but it’s not the end of the season and we’ll get them refocused for the playoffs.”
Each groups will advance to varied CCS brackets, the place they may have the chance to pursue their aim of profitable a piece championship. However just one group celebrated a league title on Thursday evening.
For Caballero, the championship capped an emotional full-circle return. Caballero missed six video games final season whereas serving a suspension for a sideline incident that occurred throughout Willow Glen’s sport at Leland.
Willow Glen’s Gavin Ferraro (5) runs for a landing after catching a move towards Leland within the second quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
He returned for sport one this 12 months, and the Rams haven’t misplaced since.
Associated Articles
Excessive Faculty Sports activities |
Prep soccer: Readers choose San Jose at Gunderson sport for us to cowl
Excessive Faculty Sports activities |
Bay Space highschool soccer 2024: Week 11 preview, schedule
Excessive Faculty Sports activities |
Prep roundup: Campolindo upsets San Ramon Valley, advances to NCS DI finals
Excessive Faculty Sports activities |
Historic rivalry: Granada, Livermore set to play for league title
Excessive Faculty Sports activities |
Bay Space Information Group highschool soccer predictions: Week 11, 2024
“We took the approach of going at it week by week,” Caballero stated. “By no means in my wildest desires would I’ve thought that that is how the common season would finish. It’s a rewarding feeling. We speak about issues and the way to answer them. And I hope that I used to be a mannequin for our gamers. I actually do.
“I think that our program is able to get over some adversity, and it was good to see resilient young men be able to do that.”
Willow Glen quarterback Aiden Akery (12) appears to be like to move towards Leland within the first quarter at Willow Glen Excessive Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Photograph by Jim Gensheimer)
