MORAGA — Micah Parker wasn’t looking at the end zone.
The end zone, yes, was the junior’s destination at the end of a 74-yard run that yielded six points. For most of Parker’s voyage, a marathon by running back standards, he gazed straight ahead. But as he closed in on his target, he turned his head to the right and stared straight at the defenders fruitlessly trying to chase him down.
Parker didn’t just want to keep tabs on how much space he created with his legs. He wanted a bit of payback, too.
“Last year, it was a tough loss,” Parker said, referring to Las Lomas’ three-point win over Campolindo. “All the seniors wanted to win that game. After losing (last year) due to dumb mistakes, I just kind of had to rub it in a little bit.”
Parker’s explosive run was one of several highlight plays generated by Campolindo (3-4), which cruised to a 30-7 win over Las Lomas (5-3) and basked in The Gap Band’s “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” all night long. For head coach Kevin Macy, it was the kind of complete performance his team has been waiting for all year long.
“We’ve never been able to put all the pieces together at one time,” Macy said. “Tonight was the first time we saw a completely healthy roster, a chance to get a lot of people involved.”
Parker, who rushed for 151 yards on 19 carries, wasn’t alone in the highlight department. Far from it.
Junior quarterback Reid Habas completed 14-of-22 passes for 233 yards, accounting for his own big play when he connected with senior Joe Revelos for a 72-yard touchdown pass. Senior Blaise Clancy recorded both an interception and a rushing touchdown. Junior Sean Parker — no relation to Micah though he jokes that they’re cousins — had a pick of his own. Junior Zach Tabibian knocked down all three of his field goal attempts.
As for the visitors, Las Lomas now finds itself looking for answers. The Knights began the season 5-0, but beginning with a stunning upset loss to Northgate, they’ve now lost their last three contests and long fallen out of this publication’s rankings. Their next two opponents, Miramonte and Acalanes, will not provide a reprieve for the struggling team, either.
“We just have to play better,” said Las Lomas head coach Doug Longero. “We have to prepare better as coaches, and we have to play better.”
The Cougars opened up the ballgame with a methodical 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, one that ended when Clancy took a handoff from the one-yard line and punched it home. After taking roughly six minutes off the game clock, Campolindo had a 7-0. Their next two drives, by contrast to their first, were of the explosive variety.
After forcing a turnover on downs, Campolindo needed just two plays to drive 77 yards down field as Habas found Joe Revelos through the air for a 72-yard touchdown, doubling Campolindo’s lead to 14-0. On the very first play of Campolindo’s next drive, Parker found space down the sidelines and ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run, giving Campolindo a commanding three-touchdown lead.
“We’ve been waiting for this,” Macy said. “(The offensive line) felt like they owed Micah a performance like this. I think this is a breakout game for the offensive line and Micah because they’re tied together.”
The defense had highlight plays of their own in store, too. Immediately following Micah Parker’s run, Sean Parker got the ball right back to his offense by snagging an interception on the very next play. On the Knights’ next offensive possession, Clancy showed off his defensive prowess with a pick of his own, setting the table for Tabibian’s 20-yard field goal that gave Campolindo a commanding 24-0 lead heading into halftime.
Las Lomas began the first half by finally cutting into Campolindo’s lead with a touchdown on its first drive, running back Kaden Lagaya punching it home for a three-yard score and trimming the deficit. For the Knights, that’s as close as they’d get to a comeback. The Cougars went without a touchdown in the second half, but Tabibian’s two field goals of 23 and 19 yards were all that were needed thanks to a stout defensive effort.
“It’s been a slow learning curve,” Macy said, “but we’re finally moving somewhere.”