Prep football: Tam rallies to keep playoff hopes alive

Tam High senior running back Ethan Koo was not a bit concerned despite his team’s starting quarterback sidelined by injury in a must-win game Saturday in Mill Valley.

Koo’s cool under difficult circumstances made sense. The Red-tailed Hawks had been there and done that already.

Junior backup quarterback Gus Beyer, who had played a couple of games earlier this season when starter Reed Edwards was out, filled in admirably and led Tam to a 26-14 come-from-behind victory against winless Napa in a Redwood Empire Valley League regular season finale.

By virtue of the victory, the Hawks (3-7, 3-3) kept their postseason playoff hopes alive, finishing with a .500 record in league play.

The North Coast Section playoff seeds will be determined Sunday.

“We trust all the players on the team,” said Koo, who rushed for a game-high 95 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown. “Starting quarterback or not, we knew we were going to run the same plays and just ball-up.”

The opening moments of the game, however, hinted at a pending disaster for Tam.

The Grizzlies (0-10, 0-6) drove 65 yards on six plays, capped by running back Josue Victorino’s seven-yard scamper through the middle for a touchdown.

“We came out flat – we’ve done that a lot this season,” Koo said. “But at halftime we had some talks. We reminded each other this could be our last game of the year. We have like 13 seniors on this team and we had to make sure we didn’t end the season with a loss like that.”

Napa maintained its lead until late in the first half, although the Hawks trailed only 7-6 after Timo Ural finished off a 12-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run off of a pitch from Beyer.

Napa nearly added to its advantage on the next series, picking up a big play on quarterback  Rocco Capponi’s 39-yard keeper. But the Grizzlies stalled on a third-and-long and then missed a 25-yard field goal attempt.

Four plays later, Tam took the lead for good.

On a first-down play near midfield, Ural ran a fly pattern down the right sideline and Beyer hit him in stride for a 47-yard touchdown.

“Timo has been exceptional for us all season,” Tam coach Anthony Mejia said. “He’s good for one or two touchdowns every week. And I’m pretty sure he broke 1,000 yards in receiving for the season in this game.”

Ural could have had a third score Saturday, but his 56-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the first half was called back on a penalty. He also had a non-scoring 47-yard punt return canceled by a penalty.

In fact, the Hawks were penalized 10 times for 105 yards including one double dead ball foul which cost them 30 yards.

Tam scored again on its first possession of the second half. Koo carried on three of four plays, including his long touchdown run as the Hawks extended their advantage to 18-7.

The Hawks turned to their defense to ice the victory.

Midway through the third quarter, senior John Welborn scooped up a Capponi fumble and chugged 55 yards for a touchdown.

Welborn, however, was not finished with his heroics as he sacked Capponi on each of Napa’s next two drives, forcing three-and-outs each time to seal the victory.

Mejia is hopeful the selection committee will award the Hawks a postseason berth based on their strength of schedule.

“I’m thinking we can get a five or six seed in Division V,” Mejia said. “I will submit the paperwork tonight and hope we sneak in.”

Tam 26, Napa 14

Redwood Empire Valley

Napa 7 0 0 7 – 14

Tam 0 12 14 0 – 26

N – Victorino 7 run (Gutierrez kick)

T – Ural 3 run (kick failed)

T – Ural 47 pass from Beyer (pass failed)

T – Koo 34 run (pass failed)

T – Welborn 55 fumble recovery return (Green pass frn=om Beyer)

N – Withey 17 pass from Capponi (Gutierrez kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Napa, Victorino 11-25, Capponi 7-49, Hutchinson  2-10, Feigel 2-(-3), Fernandez 3-(-4). Totals: 15-77. Tam, Beyer 8-(-2), Koo 15-95, Ural 3-9, Green 2-(-4), Kelsey 1-0. Totals: 28-98.

Passing – Napa, Capponi 7-16-0-106. Totals: 7-16-0-106. Tam, Beyer 11-19-0-152. Totals: 11-19-0-152.

Receiving – Napa, Hutchinson 5-88, Feigel 1-1, Withey 1-17. Totals: 7-106. Tam, Christopher  2-14, Ural 5-103, Koo 1-5, Kramlich 2-15, Green 1-15. Totals: 11-152.

Records: Napa 0-10, 0-6; Tam 3-7, 3-3.