The Gavilan Rams improved to 2-2 in pre-Coast Conference football action Saturday with a 21-0 blanking of the Contra Costa Comets at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
Nick Kalantari threw two touchdown passes and Tim Lango rushed for 102 yards and one score for the winners. The Gavilan defense contained the Comets offense to 99 yards of total offense.
"We had one goal to shut them out," said Gavilan coach John Lango. "We also had a goal of 40 points, but we made some mistakes that cost us. We ran the ball better than ever. Our defense made some halftime adjustments and attacked their quarterback (Royce Hughes) well in the last two quarters."
Gavilan will complete non-Coast Conference competition with a Saturday night test at Sacramento City College.
"Our defense played well, giving us chances to get back in the game," said Contra Costa coach John McDermott. "Our special teams played well, too, but we could not do anything offensively. Our offense laid an egg."
Contra Costa was able to fashion a 10-7 edge in first downs in the first half, yet trailed 7-0 at the intermission.
The Rams turned a four-play drive covering 87 yards in the first quarter into a 7-0 cushion.
Contra Costa registered three first downs and reached the Gavilan 29 with 7:33 left in the opening quarter. After Gavilan defensive end VJ Atkins pulled Hughes down for an 11-yard sack, the Comets gave up the ball when a Hughes pass down the middle of the field was picked off by Ram corner Steven Norman at the Gavilan 13.
The Rams made quick work of the turnover. Lango bolted 15 yards off right tackle, then went another 12 yards and drew a 15-yard Comet personal foul for a late hit out of bounds.
Matt Perkins hit full stride when attacking the left side on the next running play, finishing with 38 yards to the Comet seven. Kalantari completed the drive by rolling right and finding Doug Stewart open in the endzone for the TD throw. Michael Blewett added the PAT kick with 4:41 left in the quarter.
After a scoreless second quarter, Gavilan took the opening kick-off in the second half and covered 52 yards to a 13-0 edge.
Workhorse running back Matt McCoy picked up two yards on a fourth-down call to keep the Ram drive alive. Facing third-and-20 at the Comet 38, Kalantari threaded a pass to a streaking Tim Harvey for the touchdown pass with 10:52 left in the third. The point-after bid failed, leaving it 13-0.
While Contra Costa collected just one first down the second half, the Rams came up with a 76-yard march to a final touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Gavilan finished the series by making a first down on each of the final five plays, culminating on a two-yard Lango push off right guard with 8:56 left in the game. McCoy keyed the scoring series with consecutive rushes of 16 and 15 yards. Conner passed to Garrett Webb for the two-point conversion and 21-0 final.
Kalantari finished 5-of-13 for 69 yards. Connor Farotte hit two of eight for 61 yards. Stewart's three grabs led the Ram receivers. Perkins managed 85 yards in 11 carries. Gavilan posted a 362-99 edge in total offense. The Rams were called for six penalties worth 60 yards, while the Comets were pushed back 108 yards on 14 whistles.
Bob Burch Bob Burch covers sports for South Valley Newspapers.
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