All systems go for Mateo in CCS opener

But Williams noted a difference in his team.

“Absolutely (there were nerves). It was the first one (playoff game). You never know what it’s going to be like,” Williams said.

But he said his team was a bit more composed Monday night.

“Normally, they’re freaking out,” Williams said. “But we over prepared.”

All that work paid off. The San Mateo offense was mostly unstoppable and the Bearcats defense was dominant as they put together one of their best games of the season in a 36-0 win over Hillsdale.

Up next for San Mateo (10-4) is another home game as the Bearcats will host No. 6 Andrew Hill (11-5) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Hill upset No. 3 Aptos (12-6-1), 14-7.

The defense for the Bearcats was especially impressive as they shut down the short passing game for Hillsdale (12-8), which is the Knights’ bread and butter.

San Mateo’s two starting defensive rushers — Valentina Gomez Palacio and Amaya Butler — were in the Hillsdale backfield all game long as the pair each notched three sacks for minus-46 yards. The Bearcats also got interceptions from Zoe Lichaa and Destina Zhou.

But it was Addison Busse who had the pick of the night on the craziest play of the game. First, the pass from Hillsdale quarterback Ania Aleshi was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

But the Knights seemed to catch a break when the ball landed in the arms of a Hillsdale receiver. But a San Mateo defender ripped the ball free, jarring it back into the air where it was tipped by another Hillsdale receiver before Busse came motoring in for the interception that set up the Bearcats’ third touchdown of the night.

Additionally, San Mateo held Hillsdale to just 69 yards of offense and just four first downs.

“We’ve had some four turnover games, but [this game] was the best at every level,” Williams said.

Combine the Bearcats’ lockdown defense with an explosive offense and it was lights out for Hillsdale. In addition to her interception, Zoe Lichaa caught three passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns as quarterback Kayla Lichaa was responsible for five of the Bearcats’ six touchdowns.

Kayla Lichaa completed 15-of-18 passes for 131 yards and four touchdowns — two to Zoe Lichaa and one each to Arianna Cardenas Jacobo and Lulu Bertolina, who also added a 1-yard touchdown run.

Both teams exchanged punts to open the game before San Mateo got its offense going. On their second possession, the Bearcats drove 66 yards on eight plays, culminating in a Lichaa connection. Facing a second down from the Hillsdale 34, Kayla Lichaa rolled left and threw to a spot downfield into double coverage.

But Zoe Lichaa sliced right between the two defenders to snatch the ball in stride and motor the rest of the way for a 34-yard scoring strike.

It would be a repeating pattern for the Bearcats as Kayla Lichaa consistently bought time with her legs before beating the defense with her arm.

“I was surprised [Zoe] made that catch,” Kayla Lichaa said.”I was scrambling.”

The Bearcats forced a second straight punt by the Knights and went right back to work, with Kayla Lichaa finding Cardenas Jacobo over the middle for a 3-yard scoring strike to cap a six-play, 31-yard drive — one that was kept alive by a 15-yard catch by Gomez Palacio on a tipped pass.

Gomez Palacio finished with seven catches for 50 yards.

Busse’s pick set up San Mateo’s third touchdown, with the Lichaa sisters hooking up on a 24-scoring pass. Again, Kayla Lichaa scrambled around to keep the play alive before firing to the end zone, where Zoe Lichaa had gotten behind a pair of Hillsdale defenders to haul in her second touchdown of the night to put the Bearcats up 18-0 just before halftime.

Kayla Lichaa admitted that sometimes she just puts the ball up and expects her twin sister to make a play.

“I trust her (to make that play),” Kayla Lichaa said.

Williams also said that sometimes his quarterback throws balls up for grabs, but he said she has gotten better and is being more purposeful with her throws.

“We work on that fade (to Zoe Lichaa),” Williams said. “Our whole thing is, ‘It’s your ball. Go get it. Don’t wait for it.’

“Some of [Kayla Lichaa’s passing] is calculated,” Williams continued. “Now, she’s throwing with a purpose.”

Hillsdale was forced to punt to open the third quarter and the Bearcats responded with their fourth touchdown of the night. Facing fourth-and-goal from the Hillsdale 8-yard line, Kayla Lichaa took the snap and after looking to throw, pulled it down and started running. She got the corner, turned upfield and then extended the ball over the goal line for an 8-yard score and a 24-0 San Mateo lead.

Zoe Lichaa’s interception ended the Knights’ next drive and the Bearcats extended their lead to 30-0 on the third play of the fourth quarter with Bertolina going into the end zone from a yard out. The Bearcats then capped the scoring on a 6-yard, Kayla-Lichaa-to-Bertolina scoring pass midway through the fourth quarter.

“They did their thing today,” Williams said of his team.

Around CCS

Ava Allen threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth as the Menlo School rolled to 30-6 win over No. 8 Los Altos in the first round of the Open Division.

Anika Shah caught a pair of touchdown passes for Menlo, while Lisi Mahe grabbed one, as well. The Menlo defense kept Los Altos (14-9) off the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter.

In other Open Division action: No. 5 Menlo-Atherton (13-2) held off No. 4 St. Francis-Watsonville (20-6), 25-19 and will play at top-seeded Menlo (14-2) at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

No. 2 Sacred Heart Prep (20-2) shut out No. 7 Milpitas (20-7), 26-0. The Gators will host No. 3 Los Gatos, which escaped with a 13-12 win over No. 6 Carlmont.

In Division I, second-seeded Aragon (8-5) advanced to the semifinals with a 26-0 win over No. 7 Santa Teresa (13-3). The Dons will host No. 3 St. Francis (10-10) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Lancers beat No. 6 Santa Clara (10-14), 32-18.

No. 4 Burlingame (11-7) also advanced to the Division II semifinals following a 13-12 win over No. 5 Leland (10-7). The Panthers will host top-seeded Notre Dame-San Jose (16-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Regents beat No. 8 Pajaro Valley (15-3), 20-8.

In Division III, No. 3 Priory (9-4) advanced with a 37-20 win over No. 6 King City. The Panthers will be on the road for a semifinal game against No. 2 Carmel (12-5) at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Padres beat No. 7 Soquel (7-4), 47-7.