‘Get that taste out of our mouth’: Los Gatos gets sweet revenge on Wilcox, resetting South Bay rivalry

SANTA CLARA — It had been 350 days since Wilcox beat Los Gatos, snapping a six-game losing streak and exorcising the demons of a generation of Chargers players. 

It took the Wildcats less than a year to reestablish themselves as the rivalry’s top dog – or is it cat? 

Los Gatos took control of the two teams’ rematch in the second half, building a three-touchdown lead and holding on late for a 35-21 win. 

The victory gives the Cats (4-3, 2-0) control of the Peninsula Athletic League’s Bay Division after handling what appears to be the league’s second-best team in style. But this win was about more than putting Los Gatos back on top of the division. 

In a rivalry game this storied, the result was personal. There was a score to settle.

“Get that taste out of our mouth,” said Wildcats coach Mark Krail. “That’s what the guys were talking about all week. For so many years, this game has mattered when it comes down to the championship. Now it’s only the second league game, so it’s way too early to proclaim that. But it’s a big step in the right direction for us.”

Los Gatos took the first steps toward controlling the game early in the first quarter, building a 14-0 lead before four minutes had elapsed from the game clock. On the opening kickoff, Shane Harmer showed off exceptional speed after catching the ball at the 8-yard line, bursting through multiple lines of Wilcox defenders for a 92-yard touchdown. 

Then after Los Gatos’ defense got a fourth-down stop in Wilcox territory, the Cats quickly scampered down the field in five plays, paying off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run by Grayson Doslak. 

Before the Chargers could blink, they were in a two-TD hole. 

“You can’t spot Los Gatos 14 points,” Wilcox coach Paul Rosa said. “It’s tough to come back from.”

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