GAME 1 v. CAMPOLINDO

Campolindo stops Piedmont in opener
By Steve Dulas
CORRESPONDENT
Article Launched: 09/14/2007 03:04:30 AM PDT

MORAGA -- Campolindo's Adam Scharff threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third during a seven-minute stretch in the second quarter, breaking the game open in a 31-2 victory over Piedmont. Campolindo (1-0) dominated the first quarter but had nothing to show for it until Cookie Kazzaz ended a 49-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

Campolindo, which held Piedmont (0-1) to 34 yards in the first half, forced the Highlanders to punt on their next possession and took over at the Piedmont 39 after a 16-yard punt. Three plays later Scharff lofted a 17-yard scoring pass to Nathan Kinney in the corner of the end zone with 7:40 left in the first half.

A blocked punt by Tyler Rittenour gave the Cougars the ball at Piedmont's 11-yard line. Scharff ran for 6 yards on a delay on first down, then flipped a 4-yard scoring pass to Nick Mascheroni. Scharff pushed the lead to 28-0 when he burst up the middle for an 18-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left in the half. Scharff went 7-of-13 passing for 119 yards and also rushed for 29 yards.

Kazzaz ran for 79 yards on 13 carries in his varsity debut, and Anthony Rodriguez added 43 yards on 10 carries.
Piedmont presented a non-traditional offensive look: Quarterback Jeremy George was in the shotgun on every snap, tailback Ryan Lipkin lined up next to him in each play and took almost as many snaps from center, and the Highlanders alternated split ends as the fifth offensive lineman in an unbalanced formation.

Campolindo's defense, led by Jackson Rice and Mike Greco, gave it a traditional drubbing. The Highlanders did get to the Campolindo 1-yard line before Lipkin's fourth-down pass was incomplete. But they scored a safety on the next play when Campolindo was called for offensive holding in the end zone.