Football: Dons Tough Out 10-6 Win Against Hayward

Acalanes improves to 2-0 on the season.

Kyle Bonagura, Patch Staff

Posted Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 10:28 pm PT|Updated Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 11:57 pm PT

Acalanes 10, Hayward 6

The Star: Joe Dreyer ran for 151 yards on 20 carries for Acalanes.

The Turning Point: A running-into-the-kicker penalty against Hayward negated a 35-yard field goal attempt that fell short. Acalanes' Paul Nork capitalized on his second chance, splitting the uprights from 30 yards out to put the Dons up 10-0 with 4:44 left in the game.

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The Quote: "Speed-wise, we were completely overmatched, but defensively we played great." — Acalanes coach Mike Ivankovich.

What's Next? Acalanes plays San Marin-Novato at home on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

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Bottom Line: For the second time in as many weeks, the Acalanes defense came to play. The Dons allowed just 185 yards of offense with the lone touchdown coming on a 69-yard run by Hayward's Melvin Bellard.

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Man-for-man, the Acalanes High football team was clearly outmatched in the speed department against Hayward on Friday, but the Dons' toughness made up for it.

Junior Joe Dreyer ran for 151 yards on 20 carries as Acalanes grinded its way to a 10-6 victory in the inaugural Far West Showcase at Dublin High.

"They were fast, but we brought it," Dreyer said. "Our lineman, they worked hard opening up the holes — they were huge."

Dryer busted up the middle for a 70-yard gain on the Dons' first offensive play from scrimmage to get the ball to the Hayward 20. Three plays later quarterback Michael Learny punched it in from the one and Acalanes led 7-0.

The early score turned out to be all the Dons would need thanks to a dominating performance from their defense.

Acalanes forced Hayward to punt on all four of its first-half possessions and was just as stingy after the break.

A play after the Dons turned the ball over on downs on a fourth-and-one early in the fourth quarter, Lucas Levine got the ball back with an interception. After taking over at the Hayward 39, Acalanes needed ten plays and a pair Hayward penalties to give kicker Paul Nork a shot at a 35-yard field goal.

Nork's attempt fell short, but a running-into-the-kicker penalty against the Farmers gave Nork another chance — this time from 30 yards out — and he took advantage, putting the Dons up 10-0 with four minutes, 44 seconds left.

"We still have to work on getting better each week, especially on offense," Ivankovich said. "We have to find that killer instinct at the end of our drives."

Hayward cut into the lead with a 69-yard touchdown run from Melvin Dillard, but failed on its two-point conversion attempt. The Farmers were held to 185 yards of total offense.

Austin deBack (48 yards) and Carson Gardner (32 yards) were solid carrying the ball as the Dons ran for 244 yards as a team.

Acalanes, which beat Ygnacio Valley 9-0 last week, will return home on Friday to host San Marin at 7 p.m.

"They'll be physical," Ivankovich said.

And so will Acalanes.

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Acalanes 10, Hayward 6

Hayward 0 0 0 6 — 6

Acalanes 7 0 0 3 — 10

Scoring summary

7:03, 1st: A — Learny 1 run (P.Nork kick)
4:44, 4th: A — P.Nork 30 field goal
3:54 4th: H — Bellard 69 run (run failed)

Individual Statistics
Rushing (car-yards): H — Bellard 7-72, Hughes 9-56, Salary 5-28, Ellison 1-11, Dillard 1-9, Fucles 2-3, Curtis 1-(-9), Akins 4-(-11). A — Dreyer 20-151, deBack 3-48, Gardner 6-32, Sierra 4-12, Edwards 3-11, Learny 7-(-10).
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): H — Curtis 3-5-34-1, Akins 0-2-0-0. A — Learney 1-3-5-1.
Receiving (rec-yards): H — Dillard 1-22, Moody 2-12. A — Quezada 1-5.

Team offense (rush-pass-total)
Hayward — 151-34-185.
Acalanes — 244-5-249
Fumbles/lost: H — 3/0; A — 1/0.
Records: Acalanes 2-0, Hayward 0-1.