Following a comeback win against Benicia last Friday, where the Giants shut out the Panthers in the second half, varsity football faced the Miramonte Matadors in the North Coast Section (NCS) semifinals on Nov. 21. The Matadors came out hot, stopping the Giants on a fourth-and-one around the Miramonte 20-yard line after Redwood opened the game by completing a 55-yard screen pass to senior receiver Dylan McGrath. Miramonte capitalized on the turnover, completing a 60-yard pass to the 1-yard line before scoring on a quarterback rush to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Matadors continued to control both sides of the ball, forcing a quick four-and-out before making a 35-yard field goal with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. Both defenses held strong for the rest of the half, as possession swung back and forth between the Giants and Matadors. The Redwood offense had many opportunities to make something happen with good starting field position, but struggled to find first-downs, turning the ball over twice in Matador territory. To close the first half, the Matadors punched into the endzone with a 15-yard touchdown run, giving them a comfortable 17-0 lead as they headed into the locker room.
Junior left guard Cameron Flahive expressed what he thought was the main turning point during the game.
“The moment I felt the momentum shift away from my team was when we had two or three failed fourth-down conversions in the second half,” Flahive said.
Redwood’s offense struggled to generate momentum, as any hope of a comeback in the final 30 minutes of the game began to fade. With 10:22 left to go in the final quarter, Miramonte kicker James Rodgers tacked on another three points, nailing a 41-yard field goal, making the score 20-0. Nearing the final whistle, junior quarterback Cash Ward connected with senior William D’Amario on a key fourth-and-three conversion, reaching the Matadors’ nine-yard line with five and a half minutes remaining. The Giants yet again went four-and-out, unable to find the endzone or the goalposts all night. The team’s final push ended on an interception thrown by Ward with two minutes remaining, cementing the 20-0 result.
Despite the shutout, Redwood’s defensive coordinator, John “JJ” Davis, pointed out the team’s resilience and lasting impact on the program.
“We were down 17-0 and we kept on fighting like we have all year,” Davis said. “That’s our team. We never quit, even to the last whistle we keep on playing really hard, and I hope these kids will realize that. I told the seniors they started a legacy here at Redwood football.”
Senior running back Riley Ulin highlighted the team’s persistence throughout the game despite the loss.
“We did a really good job fighting after going down early,” Ulin said. “Every drive on offense, we fought down to the other side of the field. The defense is so dominant, and I have to give a lot of credit to them.”
Redwood ended the season with a 6-6 record, leaving a season full of highs, lows, smiles and lots of growth behind. For most seniors, such as right tackle Max Hewlette, the season’s end brought the end of an era and bittersweet emotions.
“These last four years have been the best time of my life. Every single year, I look forward to these moments, these games, these Friday nights. The fact that it’s done, it’s like a piece of me is gone,” Hewlette said.
