Leaving it all on the field

Take Burlingame quarterback Liam Friedman, for example. His stat line shows he had an OK game last week. But watching his play in the Panthers’ 21-7 loss to Menlo School showed that he did everything he could to will his team to a win.

Friedman, a senior, completed 10-of-22 passes for 108 yards and added 70 more rushing, while taking a beating from the Knights’ defense.

But that didn’t deter Friedman. All night long, as he scrambled to keep plays alive, he had no qualms about lowering his shoulder and taking on defenders, he had no problem trying to eke out another yard or two, and he hung in the pocket, knowing he was about to get leveled by a Menlo defender.

But all those hits added up. After one particularly grueling scramble, which ended with Friedman being flattened, he got up and headed back to the huddle. But then he started toward the sideline stopping halfway to double over and put his hands on his knees. He eventually made it off the field, unbuckling his helmet on the way, and headed straight to a sideline garbage can.

After several moments of him on his knees and his head in the can, he pulled himself together and headed back on the field after missing one play.

He got another series or two before he was finally replaced in the final minutes and the game all but decided. But it’s those kinds of performances that show just how much the game of football means to some kids. Friedman, most likely, won’t play college football. But the grit, determination and leadership he showed during that loss are the kind of traits that will help Friedman navigate through life.

***

Hillsdale topped Carlmont 13-3 Friday night, but the stats show a game that was even closer to that.

Both teams ran 45 plays and had the same number of first downs (10). Carlmont committed one more penalty than Hillsdale, 7-6, but the penalty yardage was the same — 50.

As for time of possession, the Knights won that battle, but their time of 23:52 was only 21 seconds more than Carlmont’s 23:31.

As for total yardage, Carlmont won that battle — 213 to 180.

***

I saw CSM head football coach Tim Tulloch Sr. on the sideline of the Capuchino-San Mateo game Friday night. His son, Tim Tulloch Jr., is a defensive back/slot back for the Bearcats. Older son, Torryn, graduated this past spring from San Mateo.

We were chatting before the game and I asked him about the Bulldogs’ surprising 23-21 loss to Diablo Valley the week before.

“We stunk,” Tulloch said, adding that the youth and inexperience on the team has resulted in an up-and-down season.

Saturday, however, the Bulldogs put it all together in arguably their best game of the season. CSM scored a season-high 63 points and allowed a season-low 7 in a blowout win over Chabot-Hayward.

***

Holy moly is it a busy week for high school sports, as the fall season begins to wrap up and the winter season on the verge of taking over.

This is the final week of football’s regular season and, for a majority of the teams in the Peninsula Athletic League, that means Rivalry Week and all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it.

Meanwhile, the Central Coast Section volleyball playoffs kicked off with first-round games Saturday. Second-round matches tip off Tuesday and the championship matches scheduled for this Saturday.

Just as CCS is crowning volleyball champs, the CCS boys’ and girls’ water polo tournaments will kick off on the same day.

Tuesday is the CCS girls’ golf championship at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey. PAL girls’ tennis will hold its singles and doubles championship tournament this week, ahead of Monday’s CCS team tournament.

Meanwhile, the first day of winter sports practice — basketball, soccer and wrestling — begins today.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117. To report scores or tips, email sports@smdailyjournal.com.