Woodside revels in first home playoff since 2008; routs Del Mar 56-21

With Woodside’s leading rusher, junior Evan Usher, missing the last two weeks of the regular season due to a shoulder injury, Frampton was promoted from the junior-varsity ranks. The sophomore solidified the Wildcats’ “Evan duo” with a breakout performance Friday, carrying 17 times for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown.

“Little Evan Frampton, him getting pulled up a couple weeks ago, he acclimated to the varsity speed so fast,” Woodside head coach Justin Andrews said. “He’s not quite the home run hitter but he can get between those tackles and churn out those yards. Great addition to us for this playoff run, for sure.”

While the game ended with a running clock, Del Mar (7-4) kept it closer than the final score indicates. Fueled by their own “little” rushing standout in 5-8, 155-pound quarterback Andre Lattimore — the senior carried 22 times for a game-high 164 yards — the Dons made it a one-score game early in the fourth quarter, when Lattimore scored a 1-yard keeper to close it to 28-21.

The Wildcats roared from there, though, responding with four unanswered touchdowns over the last 11 minutes of the game.

Frampton capped the fourth-quarter scoring barrage with his first varsity touchdown, a 13-yard sweep to the house with three minutes to play. But it was the emergence of the Wildcats’ other Evan that saw them take the game in hand, as Usher returned for his first game action in three weeks to supply six carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

“I was a little worried at first,” Woodside lineman Isaiah Granville said of losing Usher to injury after an Oct. 20 win over Carlmont, “because he’s mostly our team. But I believed in Evan Frampton … and our whole team — our new quarterback [senior Tony Dearing]. So, I believed in us.”

With Woodside out-gaining Del Mar 406-199 in total yards, Granville helped set the tone. For those of you former 1980s San Francisco 49ers season ticket holders in the house, Granville got Woodside’s offense moving with a pulling block of Randy Cross proportions. On the game’s first possession with the Wildcats facing third-and-16 from their own 29, the senior right guard led a sweep around the left side, getting out front of Frampton to pave a 33-yard pickup.

In that moment, the 6-2, 230-pound junior seemed like the fastest player on the field pulling physically and furiously 15 yards upfield.

“It’s all like in the blink of an eye,” Granville said. “I honestly feel like it was a lot of ground, but in the moment I’m just like — ‘Run! Run! Run! Run!”

Four plays later, senior running back Oliver Lyssand slammed into the end zone for a 6-yard score to make it 7-0. But the Dons fired right back, scoring on their third play from scrimmage with Lattimore going stealth mode in the read-option offense to break a 45-yard scoring run to tie it 7-7.

Woodside’s next drive stalled, but a critical turnover on the ensuing punt set up the Wildcats deep in Del Mar territory. The Dons attempted to field a booming end-over-end punt with Woodside junior Sam Cowart breathing down the returner’s neck. Virtually at the point of reception, Cowart stripped the ball and senior Daniel Lucio recovered. The next play saw senior Mason Furtado take a direct snap and score a 12-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats back up 14-7.

But the turnover bug bit back as Del Mar tied it midway through the second quarter. A telegraphed screen pass by Dearing was read by Dons safety Jake Schwoob, and the junior streaked through the passing lane to nab an interception in stride and take it 80 yards for a pick-6 touchdown, tying it 14-14.

That’s when Usher entered the game, and immediately went to work. His first carry in three weeks saw the junior standout gallop 15 yards around the right side. He added carries of 3 and 7 yards on a nine-play, 67-yard scoring drive, capped by a 3-yard scoring run from Lyssand to make it 21-14 with 1:13 to go in the half.

The Wildcats would score once more before the half, though, benefitting from an Antonio Zamorano interception near midfield, with the senior defensive back returning it to Del Mar’s 18. Two plays later, Usher scored on a 9-yard run to send Woodside into the break leading 28-14.

“We just stopped trying to be cute and just started doing what we do best,” Andrews said. “They didn’t really have answers for some our basic runs, which was kind of surprising. So, we just kept … doing what we do and hitting our bread and butter.”

With four minutes remaining in a scoreless third quarter, Del Mar came up with a fumble recovery when Dearing got drilled and coughed up the ball. Sophomore linebacker Mickey Fernandez recovered it at the Dons’ 29. Lattimore took all but one carry on an eight-play scoring drive, tabbing runs of 2, 36, 11, 2, 6 and 8 yards before scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 28-21.

“Honestly, I still felt confident,” said Lucio, a senior linebacker. “I knew our offense was still rolling. Evan Usher, Evan Frampton, they were just doing their thing on the ground, our line was blocking good. So, I felt confident.”

Then Usher stepped up, and two plays later stormed for a 51-yard touchdown run with 10:49 to play.

“I think that just sparked a flame in this offense, and we were like: ‘We’ve got this game,’” Frampton said.

The Dons fumbled on their next play from scrimmage, and Woodside turned it around on one shot, with Furtado dashing 21 yards for a score. A Del Mar punt set up the Wildcats’ next scoring drive of 77 yards, with Lyssand scoring his third TD on a 5-yard run. A Woodside fumble recovery two plays later set up a short field, as Frampton scored with three minutes to go to invoke the running clock.

“A lot of excitement,” Andrews said of Woodside’s first playoff victory since 2008, after falling in the first round last year 47-10 at Seaside. “We learned a lot from last year, which was our first time in the playoffs since 2008. We hadn’t been there before, understanding what was at hand, and just sticking to what we do. I couldn’t be more proud of the way things turned out.”

Woodside now advances to the Division V semifinals. The Wildcats will play host again, this coming Friday night, against No. 4 Santa Teresa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

South City 14, Silver Creek 0

In other Division V action, No. 3 South City (10-1), appearing in its first CCS playoff game since 2012, rallied Friday past No. 6 Silver Creek (7-4). It marks the seventh shutout the Warriors have recorded this season. It was their first CCS playoff victory since 2011. South City now advances to host No. 7 Leland this coming Friday at 7 p.m.

Division II

Menlo 30, Live Oak 28

No. 5 Menlo (10-1) won a Friday-night thriller at No. 4 Live Oak (9-1) with kicker Andres Gonzalez Lombera delivering the victory in the closing seconds. The senior booted a 21-yard field goal with three seconds to play to send the Knights surging into the semifinals. Menlo is now set to play host next Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. against No. 8 Christopher, after the Cougars knocked off top-seed Mitty 32-28 Friday night.

Division III

Menlo-Atherton 49, Hillsdale 37

No. 1 M-A (5-6) erupted for 28 answered points in the third quarter to take down Hillsdale (7-4) Friday night at Coach Parks Field. The game was deadlocked 21-21 at the half, but an Alek Marshall touchdown reception one minute into the second half gave the Bears the lead for good. M-A now advances to host No. 4 Palma this coming Friday at 7 p.m.

Alisal 20, Capuchino 17

No. 2 Capuchino (9-2) saw its historic season come to an end Friday night at Reyna Field with an upset at the hands of No. 7 Alisal (10-1). The Mustangs seemed to be on a collision course with No. 3 Aragon, with the co-PAL Ocean Division champions on the same side of the CCS Division III bracket. The Dons, however, were also upset in their playoff opener.

Scotts Valley 33, Aragon 21

No. 3 Aragon (8-3) closed it to a one-score game at 26-21 early in the second half, but No. 6 Scotts Valley (10-1) put it away with a touchdown with five minutes to play. Scotts Valley will now take on Alisal in the semifinals.

Division IV

Mountain View 49, Burlingame 21

No. 7 Burlingame (3-8) gained 315 total yards of offense but fell in the opening round of the CCS postseason at No. 2 Mountain View (5-6). Senior running back Angelo Medina led the Panthers with 13 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown. Mountain View will now host No. 3 Branham in the Division IV semifinals, with No. 1 Palo Alto and No. 5 Leigh advancing on the other side of the bracket.