Valpo Bowl XVI: Sacred Heart Prep crushes rival Menlo School

For the first time, this annual battle between Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo School didn’t take place on a neutral field.

Instead, SHP hosted its neighbor on Valparaiso Avenue under imported Friday night lights in Atherton and in the process broke numerous records during a 53-15 rout.

“It’s crazy,” SHP senior Jake Davison said of the atmosphere after celebrating with roughly the entire student body on the field. “There’s nothing like it.”

“It’s fantastic,” SHP coach Mark Grieb said. “This is what high school football is about — the rivalries.”

The Gators (9-1, 4-1 PAL Bay) were chomping at the bit — and it showed.

Not only did the offense score rushing touchdowns on its first four possessions, but middle linebacker also found the end zone on a pick-6 and fellow senior Brian Tinsley took a punt return 70 yards to the house in the first half.

“Coach told us earlier this week that this game isn’t for us, it’s for the community, for our parents on senior night,” said Willard, who crossed the goal line three times, including a pair of rushing TDs. “And it feels great to represent them well.”

SHP set marks for most points in a Valpo Bowl and largest margin of victory in a rivalry that began in 2003.

The Gators led 43-0 with 5:07 left in the second quarter after an interception by Jack Kirkham off a deflected pass immediately led to a 9-yard burst by Willard.

SHP had already tallied touchdowns on a 9-yard jet sweep by Tommy Barnds, a 2-yard plunge by Tevita Moimoi, the aforementioned 29-yard interception return — “I was definitely thinking end zone, that’s the first thing that went through my mind,” Willard said. “My d-line, they turned around and they blocked, just like we practice it. Everyone just did their jobs.” — a 1-yard strut by Joseph Hill and the special teams antics of Tinsley, who weaved his way untouched through the middle of traffic.

“One of the better Sacred Heart Prep teams that I’ve seen,” Menlo coach Josh Bowie said. “And I’ve coached against them when they had Ben Burr-Kirven and Andrew Daschbach over there.”

The Knights (4-6, 1-4), who never stopped trying until time ran out, finished the season on a four-game skid.

A shutout was avoided last in the first half during a 10-play, 80-yard drive heavily aided by a trio of 15-yard penalties assessed to SHP, including a pass interference that set up a 12-yard draw by Menlo junior Samson Axe with 1:25 left until intermission.

Axe finished with 20 carries for 59 yards, four catches for 17 yards and found the end zone again on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter, then tossed an ensuing two-point try on a trick play to senior Conor McCusker.

“The battle and the fight is what we were coaching,” Bowie said. “My heart breaks for the seniors. I really wanted those guys with a victory in the Valpo Bowl, so I know it’s frustrating for those guys. But we just keep moving on, we love these seniors and the amount of work that they’ve done for us this year has been amazing.”

Any hope of the comeback was dashed two plays into the third quarter.

After a false start, Moimoi bruised his way for 20 yards. On the next snap, Willard sprinted 50 yards to pay dirt as the running clock went into effect.

Nothing, it seems, could go wrong for SHP, with junior Ronan Donnelly ricocheting a 22-yard field goal off the uprights in the third quarter after the Gators recovered a muffed punt.

“You just gotta credit them with how they prepared, their dedication, their discipline,” Grieb said. “I think it’s one thing in this kind of an atmosphere that we’re not used to be playing in every week to be able to control your emotions. We talked about it all week.”

“This is a great ending to our season,” Davison said. “We’ve really just progressed from last year. It’s just a great feeling to be winning this year and just to finish off with this game here, at home, senior night, it means the world to us.”

Except, it’s not the end of the season.

SHP finds out Sunday where it will be seeded for the upcoming Central Coast Section Open Division III playoffs, with a home game all but guaranteed.

“Twenty-four hours and then we’re back at it,” Willard said. “Actually, less — we have practice tomorrow morning. Celebrate tonight and then we’re back at it.”

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