Football wins against Gunn 42-0

On Sept. 26, the Aragon varsity football team faced the Gunn Titans in what was more than just a football game for the Dons. This game served as a memorial game in honor of Coach B, a former coach at Palo Alto High School who passed away from cancer. For Aragon, the game was a chance to honor his legacy and secure a win, which they did, with a final score of 42-0. 

Head coach Ash Parham reflected on this game’s significance. 

“Gunn was [Palo Alto’s] rival for many years so it was fitting to play them in a game where we remember [Coach B],” Parham said. “It was nice to have a good performance in the game that we’re honoring him.”

Entering into their fifth game of the season, the Dons held a record of 2-2, aiming for a win to break the even split. Sophomore and running back Jackson Sullivan spoke about his thoughts on the season so far. 

“It’s gone up and down,” Sullivan said. “But overall, we’re doing pretty strong right now.” 

The quarter started with sophomore and defensive back and receiver Kymani Nabung getting an interception, resulting in the Dons’ possession of the ball. 

“When I got an interception, I turned around and the ball just came straight to me,” Nabung said.

After the early turnover, Aragon dominated the field, scoring their first touchdown to take control of the game. As the tensions began to rise, the crowd began cheering harder. Junior and cheer member Aubrey Leao recalled the atmosphere of the game.

“Since they were doing well at the start, they had the crowd hyped up, and then the crowd reciprocated that and hyped up the team better,” Leao said.  

Heading into the second quarter, the Dons extended their lead by scoring two touchdowns, one of them scored by Sullivan. He credited his touchdown to the team’s strong communication. 

“I feel like it went great,” Sullivan said. “We were bonding really well, and we were working overall as a team.” 

Parham emphasized the importance of the timing of those touchdowns, referring to the “middle eight”, the final four minutes of the second quarter and the first four of the third. 

“It really changed the dynamic of the game pretty quickly and abruptly,” Parham said. “It was good to take advantage of certain situations.” 

The defense also fought relentlessly against the Titans to keep them from scoring any touchdowns. While the Titans were able to move the ball across the field, the Dons prevented them from scoring. This continued through the rest of the game as the Dons continued to gain more points while the Titans struggled to keep up. 

The Dons’ performance highlighted both team progress and individual milestones. Junior and quarterback Isaiah Johnson tied the school record of five passing touchdowns, a mark also held by athletic director Steve Sell and several alumni. 

With the victory, the Dons were able to improve their record to 3-2 and looked ahead to key upcoming matchups. 

“[I’m looking forward to] Sequoia, Woodside and Hillsdale because Sequoia and Hillsdale are more nearby games so it’s more of a rivalry,” said sophomore and center Bryan Sandoval. 

For Sandoval, the game was also a reminder of what makes football special. 

“I like playing in the Friday Night Lights,” Sandoval said. “I like the energy, all the intensity, all the fans, all the cheering.”

After their strong performance against Gunn, the Dons will face Milpitas High School on Oct. 17.