To quote the South Bay Daily Breeze, Khalil Tate turned in a Herculean effort Friday night.  No doubt about it.  Five hundred (500) yards total offense, and most important of those was the patented 87-yard Tate run that sealed the Warriors fate: 41-34.

 

But it's news when Khalil Tate doesn't turn in a Herculean effort.  He's a force of nature. 

 

If there's a legitimate knock on Khalil, it's that, as quarterback, he hasn't exploited the stockpile of talent he has around him.  The nightmare scenario for Serra '15 is the opponent that can bottle up Tate all night long.  No one's been able to do that yet, but, looking toward the playoffs, that opponent is likely to show up.

 

Friday night's Halloween thriller was a happy move in the right direction.  Tate was the headliner, but he was able to spread the play around to his very talented co-stars:  Merlin Roberson, Brandon Burton (3 catches one TD), Job McGinty, Jalani Eason (2 catches), Isaiah Diego-Williams, (5 catches, one TD), Kobe Smith, 3 catches (2 TDs). 

 

The running game was practically all Tate.  Job McGinty is a traditional Serra back, fast, quick and elusive.  But he's not built to be a grind it out runner.  He had trouble breaking into the secondary, but did show his talent in a great 50+ yard run to keep the clock running in the 3rd period. 

 

The defense gave up 34, 14 of which points were just plain shameful.  But the defense also stopped the Warriors when the chips were down.

 

Oluwole Betiku is the Khalil Tate of the defense, and he was as critical to the final outcome as Tate.  His four sacks were dramatic, but even more important was the way that his presence distorted the Warriors' whole offensive scheme.  Play after play, Alemany sacrificed receivers trying to stop Betiku.  They succeededas often as not, but at the cost of coverage sacks or stops. 

 

Kevin Hicks was another rock on D.  It was Hicks who forced the Alemany fumble that temporarily disrupted the Warrior offense at the end of the first quarter.  Brandon Burton, shining on defense as much as offense, made several sensational plays on quick passes and sweeps, the most notable of them stopping Alemany third and short in the third period. 

 

It was another night of Serra vs. the refs as much as the scheduled opponent.  Two Serra touchdowns were called back on calls that (thanks for Fox Sports West replays) were either clearly wrong or very doubtful.  There were also a few lucky non-calls, including the personal foul that could have been awarded when Tate attempted to hurdle a Warrior tackler and ended up planting his cleats on the tackler's sternum.  Still the disproportion of calls against Serra was enough to get conspiracy theories started.  Most clearly, the quick flags on pass defense almost amount to a rule against good pass defense. 

 

Now for a quick recap of the ebb and flow of the game. 

 

Serra took the opening kickoff and scored in five plays.  The touchdown coming on a long 4th-down pass to Kobe Smith who was closely guarded in the end zone.  Point after good.  7-0 at 10:17 in the first.

 

The next two minutes were like Pearl Harbor and the Johnstown Flood rolled into one. Alemany scored on its second play from scrimmage, a deep pass to a receiver waiting all alone at the 20 with no chance of catching him before he scored.  7-7 at 9:26.  The Warriors followed up with a perfect on sides kick.  On the Warriors next snap, their third play from scrimmage, they re-ran play no. two, but to the other side.  Same result: open receiver, pass on stride, touchdown.  The Serra went from 7 ahead to 7 behind in less than a minute.  Serra 7-Alemany 14 with 9:20 remaining in the first.

 

It took Serra six plays and almost three minutes to get back to even.  A great pass to Burton and a great reception in the end zone.  PAT good.  Serra 14-Alemany 14. 

 

Alemany went right back to work.  After five plays, the Warriors were knocking on the door again, but a couple of bad pitches and a resurgent Cav line stymied the sixth and seventh plays.  Alemany had to settle for a field goal.  Serra 14, Alemany 17 with 4:50 remaining in the first.

 

Serra was successful in its third possession building on a long Tate run, and a great catch by Isaiah Diego-Williams. Tate ran for final yard with 2:24 on the clock.  The PAT went wide.  Cavs 20-Alemany 17.

 

Alemany was driving to go ahead again when Kevin Hicks forced a fumble and Serra recovered.  The Cavs couldn't cash in on the gift.  Three and out.  Six pass plays later, capped by a great deep throw to the Serra eight, and one Woody Hayes-type run, and Alemany went back on top, Serra 20-Alemany 24.

 

Serra couldn't move on its fifth series.  Alemany was beginning to look unstoppable, but they were at least slowable.  After 8 plays, the Warriors were forced to go for 3 instead of 6.  The kick went wide.  It remained Serra 20 - Alemany 24 with 4:34 until half time.

 

Serra scored twice on the next series.  First a beautifully executed bubble screen with Isiah Diego-Williams getting the ball and running 75 yards to pay dirt.  But generally there's an automatic flag on a good bubble screen, and this was no exception.  (Run the replay fifty times, it will be hard to see anyone holding, but there's no replay in high school football.)  So Tate et. al. just shrugged it off and scored in two plays.  The score came on what would be a Hail Mary pass.  Tate running for his life threw a 45 yard bomb.   Six foot, two sophomore Kobe Smith made what might have been a bad decision into a brilliant one.  He out jumped the Warrior safety, brushed off a tackler, and rambled toward the end zone.  Smith had just enough speed to get the nose of the ball over the goal as he fell.  Serra back in front 27 - Alemany 24.  And still two minutes available.

 

Alemany put those minutes to good use.  Again the Cav defense stiffened in the pink zone.  The Warrior had to settle for a field goal.  27-27 and so much for the first half.  Walking off the field, Coach Altenberg conceded that the Cavs had not played very good football.

 

The second half was a game of defense.  Max Williams intercepted Alemany on the first play of the second half.  Serra couldn't generate a first in four downs.  Nor was Alemany able to move against the Cavs.

 

Serra moved ahead on the next series.  Five plays and Tate's most elegant pass of the night, hitting Isaiah Diego-Williams in stride at the goal line.  PAT good.  Serra ahead for good as it turned out 34-27.

 

The Warriors went three and out after Serra's kickoff.  Serra took over at the 17, and on the first play of the tenth series, it was the "Loyola run" again.  Tate took the snap, burst through the line and ran 87 yards untouched for what turned out to be the last and definitive score.  PAT good.  Serra 41 - Alemany 27. 

 

Warrior series eleven went no where.  Serra's eleventh resulted in another ghost touchdown.  Serra couldn't generate a first and punted.  Tyler Hall arrived at the same instant as the punt and knocked the ball loose.  Tysyn Parker picked it up and ran it into the end zone.  No flags on the field at that time.  After a pause, a flag was tossed.  The call was interference with the catch.  The Fox Sports replay shows the call was wrong, and in the end it didn't change the result.  But it was exasperating. 

 

It was defense, defense, defense from there into the fourth quarter.  With 4:53 remaining, Tate was hit from behind and lost the ball.  The Warriors recovered at the Serra 45.  Five plays later, they notched the final score of the game.  PAT good.  Serra 41 - Alemany 34. 

 

With the final siren, the Cavs guaranteed at least a co-championship in the Mission League.  Probably a 2 or 3 in the playoffs.  Undisputed championship depends on getting by Chaminade at Chaminade next Friday.  With two losses, the Eagles will be playing for pride and a long shot ticket to the playoffs.  On paper the Cavs will be favored, but history warns against relying on the predictions.  Chaminade has come back from certain defeat to steal victories two out of the past three seasons.