On Friday, the Dons (1-0) opened their season with a 57-23 routing of the Carlmont Scots (0-1).
Putting up more points than they did in any game last year, the team is off to an ideal start.
Says head coach Steve Sell, “We had no idea what [Carlmont would be] like…[but] we prepared for [this game] like we were playing in a championship game.”
Despite the fact that is had been over nine months since the team played its last game, the Dons looked sharp on both ends of the ball, with strong defense leading to dominant offense.
Aragon started the game strong, up 29-0 ten minutes into the first quarter, with the Dons’ stellar defense preventing the Scots from crossing midfield for nearly 10 minutes of the first quarter.
After kicking off in the first half, the Dons’ defense stuffed Carlmont on 4th and 2, getting the ball on the Scots’ 40-yard line, leading to senior V.A. Iosia’s 1-yard touchdown run.
On the next possession, senior Anthony Sandoval picked off the Carlmont quarterback, leading to yet another touchdown run from Iosia, this one good for 37 yards.
Says Sandoval, who also caught a 21-yard touchdown pass at the beginning of the second quarter, “This year, we’re…a little bit [more] motivated…and we have more heart…we’re more experienced this year than last year.”
This blowout of Carlmont marked the beginning of a new era of Aragon football. With junior Gabe Campos replacing alumnus Tanner Nguyen at quarterback, the Dons’ gameplan has changed.
Says Sell, “[Last year] we weren’t as experienced up front, we weren’t as experienced at running back. We had great wide receivers, so we threw the ball. [We had a] very prototypical, dropback quarterback. This year, we have different guys, so we’re a little more run-heavy, but as you can see, Gabe Campos can throw the football.”
Friday’s game points only to good things ahead for the Dons. Next Friday’s matchup with the San Mateo Bearcats (1-0) looks to be a battle of the offenses, as the Bearcats put up 41 points in their season opener against South San Francisco.
