In a season of “biggest football games in school history,” Sacred Heart Prep on Friday won its biggest. And that allows the Gators the opportunity this week to play even a bigger big game, namely the Central Coast Section Small School Division championship game.
Sacred Heart Prep remained unbeaten and defeated top-seeded Scotts Valley in the semifinals of the CCS Small School playoffs, 28-24, on Friday at Westmont High to earn a spot in this week’s championship game.
Prep improved to 11-0-1 and will play against Sacred Heart Cathedral for the title at 3 p.m. Saturday at San Jose City College. Scotts Valley, the Santa Cruz County Athletic League champion, ended its season 10-2.
Quarterback Ryan Sakowski and a timely, opportunistic defense were the difference in Sacred Heart’s victory.
Sakowski, a three-year varsity starter, saved the best game of his career for the most crucial game of the season. Sakowski completed eight of 11 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 43 yards and another touchdown to guide the Gators to the triumph.
Sakowski also converted two fourth-down situations into a first down and a touchdown with quarterback sneaks on Sacred Heart’s game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. That 67-yard drive that ate 5:10 of the final period and accounted for the game’s final points.
Equally important to the offensive output, Sacred Heart for the second straight week avoided turnovers.
“Sakowski did a great job,” said Sacred Heart Prep coach Pete Lavorato. “He’s an amazing kid. Right from when he started as a sophomore I knew we had something special. He’s very competitive and he’s done everything I’ve asked of him all year. Today was a microcosm of his play all season.”
While Sacred Heart was error free, the Gator defense forced the Falcons into two miscues, both pivotal to the outcome.
On Scotts Valley’s first play from scrimmage, defensive back Chris Gaertner stripped the ball from the arms of running back Kyle Hardwick and returned it 19 yards to the Scotts Valley 19. Five plays later, Matt Bocci danced into the end zone from the two for the first score of the game.
The second turnover came in the fourth quarter after Sakowski’s touchdown. Scotts Valley had used its possessions in the second half to let Hardwick attack the Gator defense. Hardwick gained 133 yards and scored two touchdowns on both of the Falcons’ possessions in the third quarter on the way to a 31-carry, 242 yard performance. Hardwick ran five times for 43 yards, and coupled with a 24 yard pass, Scotts Valley was third and 4 at the 4. Falcon quarterback Blake Jurich tried to pass but linebacker JJ Suttle chased him into an off-balance throw that Chris Cummings picked off in the end zone with 3:01 remaining.
The defense needed one more stop after Sacred Heart went three-and-out while Scotts Valley exhausted its timeouts. With 2:34 remaining and the ball at its own 42, the Falcons needed a touchdown. They drove to the 28 where ultimately they faced a fourth and 10. A double pass play from wide receiver Aldin Barrett back to Jurich was stopped a yard shy of the first down with 1:30 left.
The defense allowed 483 yards, but made the key plays that thrust Sacred Heart into December.
