After an exciting season, Menlo prepares for their final game against Half Moon Bay for the CCS Championship. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Yock.
By Eric Chang
On Nov. 19, the Menlo varsity football team defeated Seaside High School 34-28 in the CCS semi-finals. Following this victory, Menlo advanced to the Division V CCS championships and will play Half Moon Bay for the title. Half Moon Bay and Menlo are co-league champions, and the upcoming championship game will decide which team will advance to the PAL-Bay division next season. Earlier in the season, Menlo was narrowly defeated by Half Moon Bay 36-27, so the Knights are expecting a competitive title game. “Half Moon Bay is the only team we’ve lost to this season and a CCS title is on the line, but at the end of the day it’s just another game,” senior captain and quarterback Hayden Pegley said.
Menlo’s offense had a very strong showing and numerous players had standout performances. Senior captain and running back Charlie Ferguson had a total of three touchdowns and 148 yards. Ferguson put Menlo on the board with a 77-yard reception in the first quarter, then scored twice more off a powerful run and another reception. Pegley threw for three touchdowns and completed 22 of 46 passes for a total of 378 yards. The varsity quarterback continued his four-game streak of throwing for over 250 passing yards. Pegley’s main target was senior receiver Evan King, and together they completed ten catches for a total of 163 yards.
On defense, juniors Baily Deeter and Aidan Israelski held down the fort with incredible showings. Deeter tied for his season high with 13 tackles and recorded a sack. Israelski had nine tackles along with an interception. In the past few games, these two players have been consistent and confident and have truly been reliable components for Menlo’s defense. “Aidan has been huge for us on defense. He’s a playmaker, and his work ethic pushes us all to get better.” junior Landon Smith said.
Menlo will play Half Moon Bay in the much-anticipated CCS championship at Sequoia High School next Saturday, Nov. 26. “Winning this championship means that this team will bring the first [football] CCS title to Menlo. We are honored to have this opportunity and we have a week of hard work ahead of us in order to achieve this unprecedented goal,” junior JH Tevis said.
