Terra Nova Tigers take to ground game

For the season, the Tigers have scored 23 of their 26 offensive touchdowns on the ground.

We first saw Terra Nova’s transition from a spread, pass-happy offense under former head coach Tim Adams, to Piccolotti’s ground-based attack in 2019 when they rushed for 2,531 yards as a team. In that first season under Piccolotti, the Tigers rushed for 200 or more yards seven times and more than 300 yards twice.

In 2022, the Tigers’ lowest rushing output was 178 yards in a 34-21 win over Lincoln-SF. In their other five games, they have eclipsed the 200-yard mark, including a season-high 385 yards in a 48-34 loss to Seaside.

Through six games this season, Terra Nova has rushed for 1,685 yards, compared to just 742 yards passing. Mateo Corona has been the breakout back for the Tigers, having rushed for 650 yards, averaging 108 yards per game, including 147 yards and a score on just 11 touches against the Scots.

But Corona is hardly a one-man gang. Rocco Gentile and Zachary Perez have both rushed for more than 300 yards on the season, while quarterback Mason Mini has gained 275 yards on the ground.

But the most important number is: 9.7. That is the average yards gained per carry for the Tigers this season. Every time they’ve run the ball this season, they’ve nearly averaged a first down. It has helped Terra Nova average a little more than 36 points per game.

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It’s easy for numbers to be skewed from a football player going against inferior competition week in and week out.

But if Monta Vista running back/linebacker/punter Greyson Mobley was playing for a private school, he would be a star. Granted, it wouldn’t be as easy as he is doing it against PAL Lake Division competition, but his size, physical play and determination would play for any high school team.

I was first introduced to Mobley during a 26-21 win over Mills during the 2021 season when, after a 264-yard, three-touchdown performance, I watched him run wind sprints postgame. He went on to lead the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League in rushing last season, finishing with 1,133 yards for a team that went 2-8 overall and winless in SCVAL El Camino Division play.

I got to see an encore performance from the senior Friday night when Mills held off the Matadors 20-14. But never did I feel Monta Vista was out of the game. Not with Mobley in the backfield, who was a threat to break a big gain every time he touched the ball. He finished with 188 yards on 19 carries, including a 51-yard touchdown run.

Mobley has rushed for 733 yards on the season, averaging 146 yards per game and 8.7 yards per carry.

And he’s not just an offensive player. He also leads the Matadors in tackles from his linebacker spot.

Here’s all you need to know about Mobley: On the first play of the second quarter against the Vikings, Mobley dropped back to punt on fourth down. He hit a 44-yard punt that was fielded by Mills’ Antonio Sacco. After a 7-yard return, Sacco was dropped — by Mobley.

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If Sacred Heart Prep linebacker Shay O’Kelly plays football in college, that school is getting a whale of a player.

Despite being arguably the top defender in the Central Coast Section, his recruiting has been slow, to put it mildly. According to recruiting website 247sports.com, O’Kelly is only a 2-star recruit and has one offer, from Utah State, which 247sports.com lists as “cool.”

Maybe teams are scared off by his size — he’s listed at 6-1, 210. But instead of looking at his size, look at O’Kelly’s film because he is nearly unstoppable. He led the state and was 26th in the nation in tackles in 2021, finishing with 191 over 15 games.

He’s picked up in 2022 where he left off in 2021. In the Gators’ 17-7 win over Half Moon Bay Saturday, O’Kelly had 17 tackles, including three for loss, increasing his season total to 67 tackles and 13 for loss.

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.