SAN JOSE — An example of a team toughened by adversity and rewarded for its perseverance played out Saturday at San Jose City College where Santa Teresa won the first Central Coast Section football championship in school history with a 23-15 victory over Branham in the Division IV final.
Four weeks ago the Saints were reeling, on a three-game losing streak, under .500 on the season.
“That three-game stretch where we lost two in overtime got us ready for today,” Santa Teresa coach Steve Papin said.
Since then, Jayden Arevalo took over at quarterback and led the team on a four-game winning streak. On Saturday he passed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. And despite a slight stature at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, he ran for 101 yards, displaying a slippery running style that enabled him to break loose from would-be tacklers.
In some respects, the game turned into a matchup between running quarterbacks. Arevalo held up his end and Branham quarterback William Augenstein concluded a dominant senior campaign with 168 yards rushing on 34 carries and a touchdown, his 30th rushing touchdown of the season.
“I’ve been training with Will the last two years,” Arevalo said. “It’s all love at the end of the day.”
Augenstein went into the game with over 2,000 yards rushing and 2,000 passing. Obviously he was the focus of Santa Teresa’s preparation.
“Bill Belichick, take away what they do best,” Papin said. “I told the guys, take away 9 (Augenstein’s uniform number) and we win the game.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Arevalo connected with Noah Gardere on a 38-yard touchdown pass and the Saints went into halftime with a 7-0 lead.
Branham (11-2) took the second-half kickoff and drove for a tying score, a 1-yard run by Mateo Poso.
A long kickoff return by Richard Salazar set up Santa Teresa at the Branham 40. After a 29-yard run by Arevalo, he hit Jeffrey Kerr for a 13-yard touchdown pass and a 13-7 lead.
A 32-yard field goal by Casey Carr extended the lead to 16-7.
Augenstein took matters into his own hands on the next Branham possession, carrying six times for 42 yards. He scored on a 4-yard run and then ran it in again on a two-point conversion to bring the Bruins within 16-15.
And when Gunnar Paedon intercepted an Arevalo pass and ran it back 49 yards to the Santa Teresa 36, Branham appeared to be in position to take control. Four carries by Augenstein advanced the ball to the 13, where his apparent touchdown run was called back on a holding penalty. On fourth-and-9 from the 12, Augenstein’s pass fell incomplete.
Santa Teresa proceeded to go 88 yards for a breathing-room touchdown, a 2-yard run by Evan Smith. The big play on the drive was a 47-yard run by Josh Reyes, in which he broke multiple tackles.
“He’s our vocal leader, our physical leader, our team leader,” Papin said.
Reyes, who plays a key role at strong safety on a defensive unit that was the strength of the team all season, was asked what it meant to win the first CCS football title in school history.
“It touches your soul,” he said. “It’s surreal, like a dream come true,”
Arevalo was asked his thoughts on the historic victory.
“I get to tell my grandkids about it,” he said.
Branham was also trying to win its first CCS football title. The Bruins reached the Division IV final in 2019 and lost to Milpitas, 27-26. Again, coming out of a ‘B’ league, the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa Division, they came up a little short playing against an “A” league team accustomed to a more difficult level of competition.
“Our guys, they competed and battled with an ‘A’ division team,” Branham coach Stephen Johnson said. “It says a lot about our guys and our program. They stepped up on the big stage. I’m proud of my guys.”
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