PALO ALTO — History in the making.
Two years after going 0-10, the Gunn football team finished the regular season 10-0 Thursday with a 28-7 win over Jefferson.
It was the first 10-0 season for Gunn since 1971. With the win, the Titans captured the Peninsula Athletic League Lake Division championship and advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Quite a turnaround. After that winless season in Dethrick Slocum’s first year as head coach, Gunn went 3-7 a year ago and then this. Ten wins without a loss.
“It’s beyond gratifying, it’s amazing,” said running back Yonatan Smolyar, who was pressed into heavy duty, carrying 29 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. “I was part of the team when it was 0-10, I was part of the team when it was 3-7. We go 10-0 and make playoffs. We made history, first time in 50 years. I’m just proud of every guy here.”
Smolyar’s family arrived here from Israel in 2018. His older brother Eitan was also a standout running back for the Titans.
“I’d never seen football before,” Yonatan said. “I saw my brother score a touchdown in every game so I wanted to continue my family’s legacy. I wanted to be part of this team, and I love it. I played a little soccer, but football is new. It’s only in America.”
Gunn’s Samuel Dellenbachscores a touchdown against Jefferson on Thursday night in Palo Alto. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Gunn dominated the first half with its power running game. Quarterback JJ Racz got it started with a 57-yard scoring run on the third play of the game. Sam Dellenbach scored on a 2-yard run and then Smolyar, who had 100 yards rushing by halftime, made it a three-touchdown lead with a 12-yard run.
Racz completed only one pass in the game, but it went for a 34-yard touchdown to Andre Lee in the third quarter as the Titans increased their lead to 28-0.
Gunn’s JJ Racz runs with the ball towards the end zone on a breakaway touchdown against Jefferson on Thursday. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Jefferson (7-3, 7-1) broke up the shutout when Robert Saulny-Green, a transfer from Serra playing only his second game for the Daly City school, hit Michael Slugher with a 33-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Racz, a quarterback wearing number 24, gained 82 yards on nine carries as Gunn ran the ball 54 times for 292 yards
The Titans scored 368 points on the season. Even more impressive, they allowed only 31, a remarkable achievement in an era in which scoring has never been higher.
“One week early in the season, I told them a story about when I was playing high school ball (at Roosevelt High in Fresno),” Slocum said. “We had a great defense then. I told them, the headlines read, `The stingiest defense in the league.’ And they just kind of went with it. They come out here and play with a little attitude. These guys are aggressive and understand what we’re trying to do. And I think sometimes teams underestimate us.”
Allowing 3.1 points per game over an undefeated 10-game season, a few players came in for commendation from the head coach.
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“(Defensive end) Luke Hines, that young man’s a beast out there,” Slocum said. “Sam Dellenbach, he’s a ballhawk. If it’s in the air, he’s going to go get it. Cameron Owen, a linebacker with a lot of energy, downhill, kind of like a general out on the field. But ultimately, they play together as a team, they rally to the ball and make tackles. That’s the most important part to it.”
The Titans came up with five turnovers against Jefferson. Dellenbach and Jeremiah Davis each had both a fumble recovery and an interception. Sam Tachner also had an interception.
The season came to an end for Jefferson, which started out 0-2, then won seven in a row in PAL Lake play before Thursday’s game at Gunn.
“Five turnovers, you can’t win like that,” Jefferson coach Imani Stewart said. “We’ve got a lot of our guys coming back. Our offensive line and our defensive line comes back. Our quarterback comes back. The future looks bright for us.”
Gunn’s Andre Lee (22) breaks a tackle from Jefferson’s Robert Saulny-Green during a league football game at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Jefferson’s Zion Adams-Aurilio (12) holds onto the ball after intercepting a pass intended to Gunn’s Samuel Dellenbach (3) during a league football game at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Gunn’s Andre Lee (22) is tackled near the end zone during a league football game against Jefferson High at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Jefferson’s Antonio Martinez (25) gains yardage as he goes out of bounds during a league football game against Gunn High at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Gunn’s Jj Racz (24) and Samuel Dellenbach (3) celebrate Dellenbach’s touchdown against Jefferson High during a league football game at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Jefferson’s Zion Adams-Aurilio (12) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass intended to Gunn’s Samuel Dellenbach (3) during a league football game at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Gunn’s Jeremiah Davis (7) and teammates react after his fumble recovery against Jefferson High during a league football game at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)