Wilcox and Santa Clara High Schools set out in a non-conference, rivalry game on Friday night with the Chargers coming out on top, 55-27.
The Chargers got the scoring started in the first quarter, leading the Bruins by seven at the end of the first half. Just two minutes into the second quarter, Wilcox increased its lead to 14 with a 3-yard rush and a successful extra point.
Shortly after, Wilcox senior quarterback Eduardo Andrade threw a 60- yard pass with nine minutes to go in the half. With the extra point, the Chargers were up 21-0.
But the Bruins didn’t back down as they returned the Chargers’ kick for 20 yards. Not long after, a 46-yard pass from sophomore Chris Brown put the Bruins on the board.
Wilcox would score two more times while Santa Clara added one touchdown and an extra point before the end of the first half; making the score 35-14 going into halftime.
As in the first half, the Chargers got the scoring started in the third quarter with a touchdown, but the Bruins answered back two minutes later with a 35-yard pass from Brown to senior Marcus Shields after recovering the ball off a Wilcox fumble.
Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Wilcox’s Richard Herrera reached the end zone to make it 48-21; no extra point was completed. Wilcox ended its scoring with about a minute to go on a 20-yard pass and a successful extra point.
Santa Clara completed the scoring with less than a minute left of the game with a touchdown pass, but didn’t complete the extra point.
The Bruins ended the game with two touchdowns by Shields while junior Pako Vehikite and senior Anderson Melendez each grabbed one. Junior kicker Gabriel Willis completed three out of four extra points. Santa Clara had a total of 370 yards, 32 rushing and 338 passing.
Wilcox completed five rushing touchdowns; Andrade and senior Manu Turituri each grabbed two while junior Herrera had one. The two passing touchdowns come from the hands of Andrade to senior Andrew Rodriguez and junior Hesekaia Tali Finefeuiaki. The Chargers also scored on an interception. Senior Juan Revoredo completed seven out of eight extra points.
Santa Clara and Wilcox both resume conference play at home on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. against Cupertino High School and Homestead High School, respectively.
