The Bears lost to the Menlo Knights 37-7 in a defeating match-up on Friday night, putting their overall record at 1-5.
After winning the coin toss, the Bears chose to receive, beginning a strenuous attack on the Knights’ defense. Regardless of reaching first down with a complete pass from senior quarterback Teddy Dacey to senior wide receiver Matthew Kwon, the Bears were only able to advance a few yards. Unable to gain yardage, the Bears were forced to punt on fourth down, and the Knights returned senior kicker Anthony Perez’s ball for a short gain to their 40-yard line.
Following the Bears’ unsuccessful attempt to breach Menlo’s hefty defense, the Knights quickly advanced up the field through multiple checkdowns. Despite tackles from junior safety Lucca Keighery, the Knights secured a touchdown with 5:54 left in the quarter, putting them up 7-0.
On their second possession, junior running back Marlo Jackson managed to make several short advances down the field before securing a first down at the 45-yard line. A pass from Dacey to senior running back Monty Turner resulted in the Bears advancing again, however, their momentum was cut short after Menlo called a time-out.
Thanks to a mishandled snap, the Knights were able to recover the ball and retake possession. They responded immediately with a deep pass that resulted in their second touchdown with 2:52 remaining on the clock. The Bears began to worry as they found themselves behind 14-0.
“I just didn’t stop running and breaking all those tackles—just playing with heart,” Turner said. “That’s all you could do in some games like these. Just keep your head up high and make it [count].”
The second quarter was off to a rough start for M-A, as Menlo took possession of the ball and continued to find yardage with multiple runs. However, the Bears defense held off the Knights as best they could. Freshman free safety Spencer Ama sacked the Menlo quarterback, forcing the Knights to make a 33-yard field goal, raising the Knights’ lead to 17-0.
On offense, M-A began with senior cornerback Gio Torres gaining significant yardage on the punt return, but a series of incomplete and blocked passes stifled the Bears’ efforts. Back on defense, senior defensive end Kolei Maile held off the Knights’ running back, but M-A’s strong defensive line couldn’t stop Menlo’s long pass which led to a touchdown. Even with a failed two point conversion,the score was still settled at 23-0 with five minutes left in the half.
The Bears continued to string together first downs, but ultimately a combination of incomplete passes and a sack halted any movement, ending the half at 23-0.
Despite a series of great tackles to start the third quarter, Menlo quickly punched the ball into the end zone and converted, adding to a total score of 30-0. In spite of the disheartening score, the Bears continued to mount an incredible offensive effort.
Forceful runs from Turner and a great pass to Kwon resulted in the Bears finding their way downfield, leaving them just six yards from the goal line. A long pass from Dacey across the field to Kwon resulted in uproar from the stands as M-A made their first touchdown of the night. After a successful conversion, the score showed 30-7 with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter. The Bears’ defense held strong, and the quarter ended without a chance for Menlo to score.
Just two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Knights advanced to M-A’s 1-yard line on an impressive pass play. On first down, junior defensive tackle Sione Pahulu made a laid out tackle, yet the Knights powered through for a touchdown, bringing the score to 37-7 with Menlo leading.
The Bears started their offensive possession at the 14-yard line, and on third down, Dacey made a key 25-yard pass to Kwon to keep their efforts alive. After a brief Menlo time-out, the Knights intercepted the ball with less than seven minutes to go.
Despite Menlo’s agitated attempts to advance, Ama and junior defensive lineman Daniel Jackson stopped the Knights with multiple tackles. With 2:18 left, the Bears’ final possession was stunted, ending the game with M-A losing 37-7 to the Knights.
“Our team really needs to get a little closer. We can be much better. That starts in practice. That starts in film,” Ama said.
“We definitely need to improve the mentality going into games, and preparation is very important,” Turner added. “So practicing how we want to play—that’s going to make the difference in the games.”
The Bears will play the Sacred Heart Gators for M-A’s homecoming game this Friday at 7 p.m.
