HMB quarterback Paxton Holden runs the ball Thursday at Terra Nova.
The Half Moon Bay Cougars are turning into Thursday night football warriors, playing their last three games on the Peninsula Athletic League’s “off” night.
It is a distinction the Cougars (7-3) have worn well, as Thursday’s 59-28 “Skull Game” walloping at archrival Terra Nova marked their third straight win, all on Thursday nights. And even with the road game, the HMB fanbase showed up and showed out for the rivalry game.
“It was well attended,” HMB head coach Keith Holden said. “People came out. It did not seem like your typical Thursday.”
On a night that featured nearly 1,000 yards of combined offense from both teams, HMB quarterback Paxton Holden shined bright. The sophomore gained 377 total yards of offense as the Cougars led wire to wire, while doing a majority of his damage on the ground, totaling 14 carries for 271 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yard bolt late in the first half to up the Cougars’ lead to 36-8. He was also 3-of-6 passing for 106 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Coach Holden said his quarterback’s biggest play however, was on HMB’s first score of the night, when the sophomore navigated the read option by pitching to running back Luke Pimentel, and the junior running back broke free for a 47-yard touchdown run.
“Our second play from scrimmage, we ran option and he ran it well,” Keith Holden said, “got a 1-on-1 with the safety, pitched it to Luke, and Luke ran it well. ... That’s something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.”
Pimentel totaled four carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore running back Joedoln Flores added seven carries for 57 yards and a score. Senior wide receiver Will Wimsett hauled in three catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
HMB outgained Terra Nova 626-344 in the contest, with 464 of the Cougars’ yards on the ground.
Terra Nova quarterback Joey Donati gained 328 total yards, most of his coming by air. The senior was 17-of-23 passing for 278 yards and three touchdowns, with senior Dylan Wood (seven catches, 89 yards) and juniors Isaiah Birch Corona (three catches, 92 yards) and Holden Najar (three catches, 68 yards) each recording a touchdown catch.
Donati added 12 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.
It has been three years since Keith Holden has coached in the Central Coast Section playoffs. The Cougars missed the postseason in 2023. Then, last season, the longtime coach took the reins of the HMB junior-varsity team, with Ronnie Ekis taking over the varsity helm. Keith Holden returned to the varsity head coach position this season with Ekis stepping away from the program.
“Yeah, I love our kids,” Ketih Holden said of returning to the varsity helm. “We have a great group. It’s a lot of fun.”
With the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division allotted two automatic bids to the CCS playoffs, HMB locked up one of them by tying for second place with Sequoia, but beating the Ravens in head-to-head play in the regular season. PAL Ocean Division champion Woodside clinched the Ocean’s first auto bid.
Terra Nova also earned an automatic bid to the CCS playoffs after winning the PAL El Camino League championship.
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