On Sept. 27, the Aragon Dons (1-4 overall) squared off against the Menlo-Atherton Bears (4-1 overall) in a Peninsula Athletic League matchup. The game ended in a victory for the Bears with a final score of 35-7.
The Dons entered the game backed by supporters both on and off the field. Previous head coach Steve Sell spoke about his vision for the Aragon program, emphasizing some important techniques.
“[It’s vital] … to keep working with the staff to make sure that they’re using the best techniques and just encouraging them,” Sell said. “With Coach Parham at the helm, I believe this program can thrive for years to come.”
Early in the game, Aragon showcased some notable plays, particularly in the defensive line. Senior Isaac Flores stood out with two sacks and multiple tackles for loss.
“I played one of my best games today,” Flores said. “Team-wise, the energy was there, but we struggled with execution.”
His personal performance was an important feature of this game, although the team grappled with losing momentum in the first half, which saw Menlo take a 35-0 lead.
“[The] effort was there, but we didn’t really finish our assignments,” Flores said. “We got lazy.”
Later, in the final three minutes of the game, Aragon managed to shift the momentum temporarily with a fumble recovery in the end zone, bringing the score to 35-7. Despite this late effort, Menlo’s strong performance in the first half carried them through the end of the game, even with a scoreless second half.
As the game progressed, the Dons were able to transition and cooperate better as a team. Senior Josh Jacobs highlighted key moments.
“We came out a bit soft in the first half, but after halftime, we really clicked,” Jacobs said. “It showed our fight and determination.”
Defensive player Damien Kama also acknowledged the team’s evolution.
“In the second half, we stepped it up and played as brothers,” Kama said. “We just need to lock-in earlier.”
This sentiment was echoed by teammates, indicating a collective understanding that while effort was present, more focus was necessary from the outset.
“We came out soft in the first half,” Jacobs said. “And we [hadn’t] really … woken up, we were kind of scared.”
Coach Ashley Parham reflected on the challenges faced, admitting that injuries affected the team’s ability to fully implement their strategies.
Despite this setback, Parham noted some highlights of the game.
“They played with a lot of effort” Parham said. “We just lacked focus and execution.”
As the final whistle blew, the score was set at 7-35. The Dons, now looking ahead, are determined to refine their strategies for upcoming games.
“We have to keep working on our craft every day,” Kama said.
The Dons will play their next game of the season is at home against Capuchino on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
