FOOTBALL: Milpitas Outgunned By Mountain View

A slow start, turnovers and a costly special teams score early in the first half sunk the Milpitas High football team’s perfect season Friday afternoon at Mountain View High.

When all was said and done, the two high school football team’s combined for 72 points in the three-hour Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division marathon.

Mountain View High scored 37 of it’s 44 points in the first half en route to a 44-28 victory over Milpitas on Friday.

The lone Spartans score in the second half came off an interception deep in Trojans territory that resulted in a game-clinching defensive touchdown.

In three non-league games prior to the De Anza opener, Milpitas (3-1, 0-1 De Anza) only yielded 15 points total during the 3-0 start.

Mountain View (3-1, 1-0 De Anza) scored 14 points in the game’s first seven minutes, rattling off a stunning 37 points—23 of which came in the second quarter.

“We just weren’t ready to play today,” MHS head coach Kelly King said. “Give them credit. They came ready to go. You have to be ready to go in this league or you’ll get beat every time.”

While the Mountain View offense came out red-hot, the Milpitas offensive unit couldn’t get into a rhythm.

Milpitas ran six plays on it’s first two possessions and gained negative yardage. Adding insult to injury, the second punt of the quarter was returned for a Spartans touchdown.

Senior Jordan Lockett got his team on the board late in the first quarter off a sweep play. Lockett came in motion from the slot, took the football and raced through traffic 40 yards for an electric touchdown.

Down 14-7 after one, the touchdown cooled the home team’s sizzling start for the moment.

“I’m very excited and extremely humble about the situation I’m in right now,” first year Mountain View head coach Toure Carter said after the win. “Everyone understands their role and contributed nicely out there. Special teams really is a momentum changer and it was for us today.”

Despite trailing by 23 points at the half and by the same score heading into the final quarter, the Trojans still were very much in the ball game late into the fourth quarter.

Sophomore quarterback Ronnie Reed replaced starter Tony Sauceda and ignited a pair of scoring drives.

Reed snuck in a 1-yard touchdown run and then hit senior wide out Brandon Colbert for the two-point conversion moments later to slice the lead down to 37-22.

“Ronnie is a young kid that has a lot of talent,” King said. “This is still Tony’s job. We had some players running wrong routes and dropped balls that hurt both quarterbacks.”

Reed finished the game 7-of-16 passing for 165 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown pass showed Trojans fans the promise of the future. Reed felt the heavy Spartans rush, shook off a defender and stepped up into the pocket. The sophomore showed off his cannon of an arm and hit Colbert 50 yards down the field in between two Spartans. Colbert slipped free and jogged safely into the end zone for the wild 76-yard touchdown.

The two-point try failed ended the hopes of the Milpitas comeback on the next play. Milpitas hosts Los Altos High next Friday night at home. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m.