HAYWARD — Adversity had become such a constant companion for Miramonte this season that Friday night’s trouble felt more familiar than frightening.
The Matadors had already weathered a season of injuries, departures and a tired perception that kids from Orinda can’t take a hit and give one too.
So when they fell behind by 14 points in the North Coast Section Division IV title game, they simply leaned into what they already knew and rallied behind a JV quarterback to stun Hayward 28-21 at Moreau Catholic High.
Miramonte’s comeback capped a season-long transformation under second-year coach Nick Safir, who guided a patched-together roster to the program’s 11th section championship.
“We faced adversity all season long,” Safir said. “We had people quit. We had a really, really tough schedule. These guys have heard the narrative all their lives about not winning league games. … We wanted to prove them wrong tonight, and I think we did. I’m so proud of the resiliency of this team and the guys that I got. They banded together to get it done tonight.”
Quarterback Lane Dalton, who got his first start in Miramonte’s regular season finale loss to Campolindo a month ago, was a steady presence for Miramonte all night. The sophomore completed 16-of-22 passes for 246 yards and rushed for two touchdowns.
Running back Jonah Imberg rushed for 111 yards and two scores.
“I bet most teams have never been through what,” Imberg said. “We proved them wrong.”
With a rowdy home crowd behind them, the Farmers looked like they were going to blow the game open early.
Two rushing touchdowns from junior Lamont McDonald put Hayward up 14-0 early in the second quarter. From there, the “Hayward” chants ensued, with the feeling that one more touchdown can make this lead – in this game – insurmountable.
But on the sidelines, Miramonte stayed calm and collected.
The Matadors harkened back to the times they had to play the likes of Acalanes, Clayton Valley and Campolindo. Moments where they fell just short, not because of effort, but because of execution.
So as Hayward seemingly found its groove, Miramonte recalibrated.
Later in the second, Miramonte completed an 11-play drive that ended with a seven-yard rush from Imberg. After getting a key stop on the next Hayward possession, Miramonte tied the game just before halftime on another Imberg run, this time from the half-yard-line to tie the game at 14.
Just like that, the cheers were now coming from the packed visitor’s section wearing green and white. Miramonte, jolted with newfound energy, took back all the momentum it lost in the opening minutes and went into halftime tied with the hometown team.
“We’ve handled adversity all year, so we just relied on each other,” Dalton said of Miramonte’s second-quarter surge.
After each team failed to put points on the board on its first possession of the second half, Miramonte took back the lead just before the third quarter, ending on a one-yard plunge from Dalton.
Later in the fourth, Miramonte seemingly put the game away when another Dalton sneak gave Miramonte a 28-14 lead with just over seven to go.
But Hayward wasn’t done yet.
Running back Maurice Hall broke off a 66-yard touchdown run, barreling through Miramonte defenders to cut the Matadors’ lead to just one score with six minutes left.
With the game on the line, Miramonte leaned on a quarterback that, just a few weeks ago, wasn’t on the varsity roster.
He delivered.
Dalton controlled the tempo with an array of screen passes and marched the Matadors down the field until they were ready to assemble victory formation and ice the game.
“Our kids leaned on the poise of our sophomore quarterback,” Safir said when asked how his team was able to mount a comeback.
For Hayward, the Farmers magical season comes to an end. Friday night’s championship game was the farthest Hayward has gotten in the NCS playoffs since 2006, when the Farmers fell to Cardinal Newman in the 3A championship.
Coach Virgil Hart praised his team for playing with maximum effort and building a winning foundation for future seasons.
“We had a lot of ups and a lot of downs, and the boys fought through it,” Hart said. “I love these kids because they don’t understand what this is doing to the program and how we’re bringing it back. When we first took over the program, we were just laughing stock and then we built it back. And now people believe in Hayward.”
Miramonte has punched its ticket to the NorCal playoffs and will await its opponent until Sunday when the CIF state football brackets come out.