Minus its starting quarterback and running back, the Los Altos High football team turned to top playmaker Zach Fagin even more than usual Friday night.
He didn’t disappoint.
Moving from receiver to running back, Fagin rushed for four touchdowns and 226 yards in the Eagles’ 49-10 blowout win over Gunn. The senior needed only nine carries – all in the first half – to achieve his career highs for TDs and yards.
With host Los Altos ahead 35-3 at halftime, Fagin watched the rest of the game from the comfort of the sideline.
Was he itching to get back in for the chance to add to those gaudy numbers?
“Not really. I wanted to see my teammates that don’t usually get to go in there do their thing on the field,” he said. “I’ll save it for the other teams.”
The winless Titans probably wish Fagin had saved Friday’s performance for another week. They simply couldn’t keep up with his fleet feet.
On his first carry, Fagin spun away from a would-be tackler and sprinted down the right sideline for an 80-yard score that gave his team the lead with 9:58 left in the opening quarter.
“I just got the ball on a sweep and then my blockers did their job,” he said. “All credit to them.”
On the second play of the Eagles’ next series, Fagin juked two defenders in the middle of the field and then broke free for a 55-yard TD. Before the first quarter ended, Fagin scored again – this time jogging into the end zone untouched from 4 yards out. Andrew Campos’ extra point made it 21-0.
Fagin’s fourth and final TD run may have been his best. Running right, he reversed field – dodging several Titans along the way – and raced 45 yards down the left sideline early in the second quarter.
“The play was originally designed to go right and down the sideline, but I saw an opening to the left, so I just cut it back,” he said. “It was pretty much just green field ahead and I just took it down the field for the touchdown.”
Los Altos coach Mike Garrity described the improvised play as “a little Zach magic.”
The Eagles, who hadn’t won a game since routing Independence in their Aug. 26 opener, may need more magic this month to contend in the El Camino Division. The win over Gunn put them in the middle of the pack at 1-1 – the same record of the Santa Clara team they host 7 p.m. Friday.
“All we worry about is the next opponent,” Garrity said, “and Santa Clara is a good team.”
One of the teams ahead of Los Altos (2-4 overall) in the standings is undefeated Sequoia, which beat the Eagles on the final play of what Garrity called “kind of a heartbreaking loss” Sept. 29.
Bouncing back against Gunn “lifted up the team spirit,” Fagin said. While the game got off to an inauspicious start – the Eagles fumbled away the ball on their first snap – the defense didn’t allow Gunn to capitalize. The Titans only went backward from Los Altos’ 23 and then missed a 43-yard field goal attempt.
It was all Eagles after that. They scored four TDs in the first quarter, the last coming on Campos’ punt return from near midfield as time expired.
In the third, Los Altos made another big play on special teams; Rafael Arce blocked a punt that teammate Leo Goebel recovered at Gunn’s 16. Three plays later, Dre Caputo sauntered into the end zone on a 1-yard quarterback keeper. Campos’ PAT extended the Eagles’ lead to 42-3.
Caputo was among several reserves who saw ample action in the second half of a game that went to a running clock in the fourth. Drew Rafferty, who started at quarterback for the injured Noah Beedon, joined Fagin on the sideline after completing four of his five passes for 86 yards in the first half.
“I’m happy that we were able to get a win and all of our guys played,” Garrity said.
Other local football action
Host St. Francis evened its overall record at 3-3 with Friday’s 24-17 win over Sacred Heart Cathedral. The Lancers improved to 2-1 in the West Catholic Athletic League.
Dropping its fifth game in a row, Mountain View fell 34-20 at Homestead Friday in De Anza Division play. The Spartans sank to 0-2 in league and 1-5 overall.
