Sharks Football Ends Season with Close Loss

The varsity football team came up short in its final game of the 2011 season last week on Friday in Santa Clara. The 27-20 upset was the Sharks' second consecutive close contest determined in the final minutes and ended Malibu's bid for the CIF playoffs.

The Sharks closed out their season 5-5 overall and 1-3 in Frontier League play.

"This was a tough one to lose," said Malibu head coach Ray Humphrey. "We thought we had the tools in place. Santa Clara played well, got way ahead on two big plays early. They made good adjustments, and we couldn't get the points on the board late in the game when we needed. Our guys fought back like they have all season. We came back after [Santa Clara's] first two scores, but we came up short at the end …  I'm proud of our guys' tenacity. They never give up."

The Saints scored on the first snap of their second possession on a 94-yard run up the middle. On the ensuing kickoff, Santa Clara recovered a "pooch kick" on the Sharks' 40-yard line and cashed it in on the very next play. Following the second consecutive long run from scrimmage, the Saints had scored twice in the span of 13 seconds.

The Sharks responded immediately with consecutive scores to close out the first quarter—the first drive ending in with a 37-yard screen pass from quarterback Dylan Miller to senior running back Devon Baldinger, and the second ending in a 36-yard screen from Miller to senior running back Nate Dowler. Both backs broke several tackles, and following key blocks ran for impressive yards after the catch.

After a missed extra point, Malibu trailed 14-13 as time expired in the first quarter.

The Malibu offense continued to roll in the second quarter, and they drove the field on their first possession to take a 20-14 lead. The drive keyed on a 32-yard reception by junior receiver Brennan Cassone, a 25-yard run by Dowler and a six-yard touchdown scamper by Baldinger.

The Saints responded with a drive that led to a field goal. At halftime, the Sharks held a 20-17 lead.

Halftime defensive adjustments by the Saints began to frustrate a usually strong Sharks running game. In the final two minutes of the third quarter, a failed fake punt attempt by Malibu gave the Saints a short field, which they promptly converted into 24-20 lead. 

The fourth quarter became a ball-control contest. With five minutes to go, the Saints drove to the three-yard line, where the Sharks defense stiffened, holding on three plays and forcing a field goal attempt that sailed wide. But a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Saints four more downs and took away precious minutes off the game clock. The tenacious Sharks defense held again, but given a second attempt, the Saints kicker hit his mark.

Santa Clara held onto a 27-20 lead with three minutes remaining in the game.

The Sharks quickly marched down the field to the Saints' 35-yard line, but a series of miscues and a sack forced them to turn over the ball on downs. Malibu had one more possession with 15 seconds to play, but last-second heroics weren't in the cards for the Sharks.

"They accomplished amazing things in the face of adversity," Humphrey said. "I'm so proud of our young men. They were in every game—win or lose, our guys stayed competitive all season long."

He continued, "We had huge support all season from our football families and school fans. At first, there wasn't much belief in what we could do, and that changed as the team got better and better. My coaches did a fantastic job of getting these guys to believe, and I wish we had the horses to finish off our last two opponents. It has a been a good season and I'd like to thank all the people who made that possible."

The graduating seniors from Malibu include a core group of starters, several whom are in contention for league honors: Evan Anthony, Devon Baldinger, Cooper Smart, Eric Caldwell, Jackson Hurst, Hunter Johnson, Kfier Cohen, Cylan Cranson, Nate Dowler, Anthony Turner and Chris Navarro.

"I'll miss this senior class—great players and great people," Humphrey said. "But we're looking forward , and there's been a surge of interest in our program with the success we had this year."

Go Sharks!!!