CLASS 2A: Saints grow up in a hurry
Quarterback T.J. Engel and receiver Justyn Anderson have been best friends since kindergarten while attending Mountain View.
Now seniors about to play their final high school football game for the Saints, they have watched their school and football program grow side by side through the years.
The chemistry shared by Engel and Anderson is one of the biggest reasons Mountain View has reached its first state championship game. The Saints (7-5) face Pershing County (7-4) in the Class 2A final at 3 p.m. Saturday at Arbor View.
“It would leave a big legacy,” Anderson said of a possible state title. “It would mean a lot to us because we’ve been so close to it. To finally get there, it would mean a whole lot to our team.”
Since moving to 2A and 11-man football in 2008, the Saints have reached the state semifinals each year, but this is their first trip to the title game. They punched their ticket with a 41-38 semifinal win at Rite of Passage last week.
“It feels really good,” Engel said. “Just making it amazes me.”
In his second year as a starter, Engel is among the most productive quarterbacks in the state with 1,817 yards and 27 touchdowns passing and 994 yards and 15 TDs rushing.
The speedy Anderson has been a threat rushing and receiving in the Saints’ spread offense with 604 yards and nine TDs on the ground and 47 receptions for 820 yards and 16 scores.
Throw in freshman running back Jacob Duldulao (931 yards and seven TDs rushing), and the Saints have weapons all over the field.
“This year we just wanted to come out and get the ball spread around more,” Anderson said.
It’s worked to the tune of 38 points per game.
Defensively, stopping the run was the team’s weakest link early in the season, but coach Ray LeBoeuf is pleased with how his young defense has progressed after graduating its top two tacklers from a year ago.
That run defense will have to be stout against Pershing County, which rushed for 356 yards in a 34-16 win over Agassi Prep last week.
“Just stopping the run, that’s the huge thing,” said junior linebacker Joshua Killam, who leads the Saints with 132 tackles. “Our defensive line has made some big plays the last few games, and the linebacker crew has stepped up.”
Anderson called reaching the state final a breakthrough, but he’s hoping for a bigger one.
“It feels great because the last couple years we got to the semifinal game,” he said. “It feels good to be over that hump, finally, so we’re going to try to go ahead and bring it home.”
LeBoeuf said the Saints’ debut in the title game is an emotional milestone after watching senior captains Anderson, Engel and linebacker Taylor Williams play together since middle school.
“These kids feel like this is their home,” LeBoeuf said. “It’s like a community within the city. They’ve stayed here and grown up together. For them to realize the opportunity of playing in the state championship game is such a blessing.”
