Izzy Mitchell

Lloyd and Blanks walk off the field together after their heartbreaking loss against Jefferson.

Emotions were definitely felt on the field on Friday, Oct. 27.

Jefferson High School defeated the Scots 40-28 at the Homecoming game. Not only did this game end Carlmont’s 7-0 streak, it the guaranteed Jefferson one game in the Central Coast Section playoffs of the Peninsula Athletic League Lake Division.

“Maybe the record affected the way Carlmont played. They maybe were like ‘Oh, we are 6-0, we got this team.’ The 6-1 record forces us to work harder. You don’t want to lose one more,” said Angelo Velez, a Jefferson senior.

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Izzy Mitchell

Carlmont's team captains hold their hands in unity as they walk to the center of the field.

At last year’s game, Jefferson defeated Carlmont 43-17. Although the scores look similar, the performance of the two teams was not the same.

“There were many major plays in the game, many were bad and some were good. The loss has made us understand where we stand in CCS. It will just let us know that we need to work harder to improve,” said Jason Lloyd, a senior.

For the first half, the Scots controlled the field.

The nine offensive plays by Carlmont led to a 16-yard touchdown by Demarri Blanks, a senior. Blanks scored another touchdown that was 52 yards after an interception by Ralphie Holmes, a junior. The Scots led the first quarter 14-0.

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However, the Jefferson Grizzlies were not going down without a strong fight. Daniel Benjamin, a senior, received a 42-yard touchdown pass from Joaquin Alvarez, another senior,  making it 14-7, still in favor of Carlmont.

The second quarter saw Devon Sagon, a senior, score a 35-yard touchdown, which was replied by a touchdown by Alvarez. The two more touchdowns were completed by Blanks’ 98-yard kick off return and a 56-yard run by Velez.  Jefferson failed to execute the kick for both touchdowns. Carlmont completed the first half 28-19.

Jefferson racked up a total of three touchdowns that would secure the win, two touchdowns by Velez and a 10-yard receiving touchdown by Benjamin.

In the last two minutes of the game, Carlmont had the opportunity to score a touchdown, but Blanks fumbled the ball near the end zone.

“I don’t think think that they did anything better than us, it was an even game. We just didn’t execute as much as we should have in the second half and it showed,” said Blanks.

By that time, Carlmont knew the game was over. But in an act of support of the team, the bleachers cheered for the team, the loudest in the entirety of the game.

Carlmont does have a chance to make playoffs, but it is not guaranteed anymore. Many players learned the lesson of the importance of not letting a team’s record faze their performance at the game or even at practice.

The Scots will keep their heads high for the rival game later this week versus Sequoia High School on Nov. 3.