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Schools

Menlo School vs Half Moon Bay

Both team brought their a-games. Only one took home bragging rights.

For the third consecutive week, the Menlo School football team won in a rout – this time a 56-14 victory over host Half Moon Bay on Friday.

The Knights improved to 3-0 overall with one more non-league matchup against Mills at home Friday afternoon before Peninsula Athletic League-Ocean play begins. The Cougars, a PAL Bay Division team, fall to 1-3.

By halftime Friday, Menlo had built a 42-0 lead. As they had in their previous games, the Knights dealt a balanced attack, executed a nearly impenetrable defense and got big plays from its special teams. Quarterbacks Matt Bradley and Jack Heneghan and receiver Wiley Osborne combined on 12-of-13 passing for 280 yards. 

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“The kids were well prepared- They did everything well in all three facets of the game,“ said Coach Mark Newton whose team has outscored its opponents 178-52.

Receiver Connor Stastny pulled in five catches for 145 yards, and Osborne converted his two catches to 80 receiving yards and two TDs. Fellow seniors Travis Chambers, who had a pair of touchdowns, and Heru Peacock fueled the Knights' running game which also got big contributions from Heneghan. For the third game, senior Max Parker ran back a kickoff for a touchdown – this time on a broken play. On another first-half play, senior Wiley Osborne took the handoff then flipped the ball to junior Will King for a score. Shortly after, Osborne made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 60-yard touchdown.

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Ever consistent, the defense had its own share of big plays. In the third quarter, the Knights did not run an offensive play. Defensive back Brock Burgess ran back an interception 75 yards for a score. Linebackers Jack Ferguson, King and Christian Pluchar had strong outings as did the secondary, including Osborne, Peter Bouret, Chambers (12 tackles) and Stastny. Nose guard Wyatt Rouser had another standout game.

Seniors Chris Atkeson and Zach Smith anchored the line on both sides of the ball.

“They’re playing really well, and the thing is, we still have six or seven lineman playing both ways,” Newton added.

"We told them this is going to be a big test: we saw Half Moon Bay play (during the bye week), and they're a good team," Newton said. "The extra week to prepare helped us. We're just striking on all cylinders."

 

Non-league

 

 

Team 1 2 3 4 Tot. Menlo 14 28 14 0 56 Half Moon Bay 0 0 7 7 14

 

 

M – Chambers 1 run (Costa kick)
M – Chambers 2 run (Costa kick)

M – King 15 pass from Osborne (Costa kick)
M - Osborne 60 pass from Heneghan (Costa kick)
H – Thorton 1 run (Herrera kick)

M – Parker 91 kick return (Costa kick)

M – Burgess 77 interception return (Costa kick)
H – Acton 2 run (Herrera kick)

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