FOOTBALL: Mountain View Tops Milpitas in De Anza Opener

First year Mountain View head coach Toure Carter said he learned the little things about the game from mentor and longtime Mountain View High athletic director Dan Navarro.

Stay alert on special teams was one of the lessons on the list.

Carter at the Mountain View High football team used a special teams score, a stout rushing attack and an opportunistic defense to blast past Milpitas High 44-28 on Friday afternoon in Mountain View.

When all was said and done, the two high school football team’s combined for 72 points in the three-hour Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division marathon and league opener for both teams.

Mountain View scored 37 of it’s 44 points in the first half en route to the two-touchdown win.

The lone Spartans score in the second half came off an interception deep in Trojans territory that resulted in a game-clinching defensive touchdown.

In three non-league games prior to the De Anza opener, Milpitas (3-1, 0-1 De Anza) only yielded 15 points total during it’s 3-0 start.

Mountain View (3-1, 1-0 De Anza) scored 14 points in the game’s first seven minutes, rattling off a stunning 37 points—23 of which came in the second quarter.

“We just weren’t ready to play today,” MHS head coach Kelly King said. “Give them credit. They came ready to go. You have to be ready to go in this league or you’ll get beat every time.”

While the Mountain View offense came out red-hot, the Milpitas offensive unit couldn’t get into a rhythm.

Milpitas ran six plays on it’s first two possessions and gained negative yardage. Adding insult to injury, the second punt of the quarter was returned for a Spartans touchdown.

“I’m very excited and extremely humble about the situation I’m in right now,” first year Mountain View head coach Toure Carter said after the win. “Everyone understands their role and contributed nicely out there. Special teams really is a momentum changer and it was for us today.”

Already ahead by seven off a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Butler to tailback Stefan Lemak, Mountain View forced a Trojans punt that bounced once across the 50-yard line before a second bounce sent the football a few yards back in the home team’s favor. Still moving on the ground, an alert Kristian Hernandez picked up the football and raced 52 yards for the stunning special teams score.

The touchdown was the first of two on the day for Hernandez. The shifty back carried the ball 19 times for 57 yards in the win, including a two-yard touchdown burst in the second quarter. 

“Guys stepped up,” Carter said. “Special teams really gave us a boost. It’s a nice win, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Junior Marcus Jones scored off a 20-yard reverse field run in the second. Butler followed that fun run up with a pretty seam route strike to tight end Ken Hampel for a 34-yard touchdown to close out the half in style. 

Mountain View lead 37-14 at the half. Milpitas scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but a Frankie Mires interception return for a touchdown iced the win for the black clad home team.

The Spartans play at Los Gatos High next Friday night.