Woodside goes from worst to first

Woodside's improbable one-year turnaround from a 2003 season that cast the program into the "embarrassing fodder" category to a division title this year has the surrounding community in a state of nirvana. With seven seconds to go, the Woodside fans started the countdown: 7, 6, 5...1...then, absolute mayhem. Raising their helmets in unison, the Woodside players danced and cheered in front of their many fans in pure ecstasy.

"Woodside has always been known for football," quarterback Julian Edelman said. "But the last couple of years the program has struggled. We came into this year trying to put Woodside back on the map."

Mission accomplished - and then some.

The Wildcats are back on the map alright, thanks in large part to their athletic 5-foot-11-inch, 180-pound signal-caller. Edelman keyed Woodside's late surge with two fourth quarter touchdown runs of 50 and 41 yards. Both scores answered Half Moon Bay (5-1-1,6-2-1) touchdowns and kept the Cougars from getting no closer than 11 points in the latter stages.

Edelman faked a handoff on both runs before exploding down the field cheetah-like. He finished with 122 yards on seven carries, while Tyreece Jacks finished with 112 yards on 14 carries. Jacks also had touchdown runs of 12, 3 and 4 yards, upping his PAL lead to 24.

The Cougars took the game's opening possession and marched 71 yards on 13 plays, capped by Nick Colvin's 10-yard touchdown pass to Richard Herbert. But Woodside scored 27 unanswered points: The first on Edelman's 36-yard scoring pass to Johnny Anderson; the second on Michael Nizuk's 7-yard run; and the last two on Jacks' touchdown runs of 3 and 12 yards.

Despite Woodside totaling 314 yards rushing on 33 carries, Half Moon Bay still outgained the Wildcats in total offense, 398-362. Colvin was 18 of 25 for 232 yards and Steve Adragna rushed for 102 yards on 27 carries. Ricky Simms and Matt Gieser combined for 10 receptions and 186 yards.

Kenneth Walker led the Wildcats with two interceptions and Euri Thompson finished with four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Woodside's special teams were special indeed, totaling nearly 200 yards in kick-return yardage and recovering onside kicks late in the fourth quarter.

Andrew Hockaday, Spencer Garrison and Nizuk all came up with big plays. In the end, Woodside's speed proved to be the X-factor as Jacks and Edelman produced the game's decisive plays. Nicolopulos took time to appreciate the moment.

"Last year doesn't even come into my mind," he said. "It's a new year and we played like a family. It's fun to see and really what sports are all about. I'm proud of the way they fought through everything and how they kept their composure throughout the season."