Big finish lifts San Mateo football past Carlmont

With the score deadlocked 13-13 with seconds remaining before halftime, Fakava plugged the C-gap on a Carlmont running play intended to run out the first-half clock. What ensued was a momentum-swinging turn of events as Fakava stripped the ball and bolted up the field 45 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.

It was Fakava’s fourth touchdown of the season, and his first since Week 3 when he scored twice as a running back. Since then, he has shifted his focus to playing linebacker fulltime.

“It changed the game for me, but — you know me — I was able to adapt to it and just play the game,” Fakava said.

The go-ahead touchdown sent the Bearcats (3-0 PAL Ocean, 5-2 overall) into the locker room with a head of steam, and in the second half they capitalized. San Mateo running back Daniel Feletoa carried 25 times for 189 yards and four touchdowns, including three after the break as the Bearcats opened the second half with 24 straight points.

“Just the spark that we needed,” San Mateo head coach Jeff Scheller said of Fakava’s touchdown. “We really needed that spark.”

Carlmont (0-3, 3-4) opened the game with quick strike. Senior running back John Hanna took all four carries on the opening drive, including a 44-yard bolt for a touchdown to make it 7-0. The Scots would also hold a lead of 13-7 before Mateo went on a 37-point run, that included a touchdown pass from Giancarlo Selvitella to sophomore Cameron Palma.

But it was Fakava’s fumble return that shifted the tone of the game.

“It felt like the holes were there, all the blocking was amazing,” Hanna said of Carlmont’s first-half offense. “But once we had a little setback on that fumble, it felt like we just felt like the momentum just shifted completely to the other team.”

Hanna suffered minor injuries to his hand and shin on the same play at the start of the second half. When he returned, Mateo was leading by three touchdowns.

The senior has by far been Carlmont’s leading rusher this season, entering play Friday with 135 of the Scots’ 202 carries this season.

“It’s hard because it feels like all the pressure’s on me,” Hanna said. “And getting hurt just sucks because it’s like I let the team down just by coming out.”

Feletoa added scores of 4, 3 and 15 yards. Junior placekicker Jack Neciuk capped Mateo’s scoring with a 20-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

Carlmont finished the night with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Jack Wiessinger to Juan Olvera.

With the win, San Mateo keeps pace with Terra Nova as the only undefeated teams in Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division play. The Bearcats have played one more league game than the Tigers.

But the two collide next Friday, Oct. 21, in Pacifica, for a matchup that could determine the PAL Ocean Division championship. It will be a big test for the Bearcats, who haven’t played Terra Nova since 2010 — a 50-29 win for the Tigers. San Mateo has played in a lower league than Terra Nova every year since.

“Coming into the league, we just wanted to feel like we belonged, No. 1,” Scheller said. “Then No. 2, obviously we didn’t want to look ahead past Carlmont, because they’re a really good team. But yeah, it matches up. Going over there (to Terra Nova), it’s a tough place to play. But being in this position, it’s awesome. The kids are feeling good. So, we’re glad with how hard they worked to get to this point. They earned it.”