The football team was defeated by The King’s Academy Knights in a narrow 32-29 loss on Friday night.
The Bears began the game with an extraordinary 60-yard kickoff return by senior wide receiver Lucca Keighery, immediately propelling M-A to King’s Academy’s 35-yard line. However, their possession was short-lived, as the Knights soon made an interception to gain control.
M-A withstood King’s Academy’s offensive pressure, forcing numerous incomplete passes. Still, the Knights were able to crack the Bears’ defense, catching them by surprise and running to the end zone for a touchdown. King’s Academy secured the extra point, bringing the score to 7-0 to end the first quarter.
M-A came out of the break with a 40-yard return. Despite this fiery start, King’s Academy rammed M-A backward, setting them up at third and long. The Bears swiftly recovered with a short pass from senior quarterback Milo Lazare and a deft sprint by senior running back Jamarlo Jackson.
On fourth down, junior quarterback Bishop Manumaleuna chucked a deep pass to senior tight end Griffin Birk. It landed long, resulting in a turnover on downs for M-A.
Multiple tactical rushes from King’s Academy drove them ahead, but dynamic defense by senior cornerback Diego Madrid and senior linebacker Kaito Yoshida fended off the approaching Knights with flipping tackles and suffocating blocks.
A flag on M-A ultimately gave King’s Academy the opening they needed to secure their next touchdown with 27 seconds on the clock. Following the missed extra point, the Knights ended the first half 13-0.
“We came out flat in the first half, dropping zero points,” senior wide receiver Vito Di Carlo Guzman said. “[We can improve on] coming out more aggressive on the first drive of the game.”
M-A came out of halftime on the front foot with a successful onside kick. However, a flag on the Bears flipped the possession in favor of the Knights. King’s Academy kept pushing forward with mid-range passes, steadily gaining yardage.
The Knights soon added one more touchdown after a pass from the 20-yard line landed in the end zone. Their two-point conversion failed, leaving the game at 19-0 in favor of the Knights.
The Bears kept on searching for a way back in the game, but several incomplete passes caused M-A to punt the ball with 7:20 left in the quarter. King’s Academy fired back instantly by spotting an opening in the Bears’ defense, initiating a long drive and scoring one more touchdown for the Knights. Despite an unsuccessful two-point conversion, the gap extended to 25-0.
M-A turned it up a notch to get back in the game with consistent 15-yard carries from junior running back Kennedy Monroe and senior wide receiver Beau Courson to gain yards for the Bears. Another rush from sophomore running back Spencer Ama Jr. placed M-A just shy of the end zone. A dart from Manumaleuna to senior wide receiver Zachary Sokol gave the Bears their first touchdown, and junior kicker Juan Pablo Maciel converted the extra point, cutting M-A’s deficit to 25-7.
The Knights continued to knock on the door of the Bears’ defense after a failed onside kick. King’s Academy received 20 yards in penalties, placing the Knights at the 30-yard line. King’s Academy was unable to overcome the penalties as a dominant tackle from sophomore linebacker Kasper Ahonala forced a fourth down, leading to a turnover on an incomplete pass.
The Bears weren’t able to capitalize on their possession and quickly ceded the ball to the King’s Academy, concluding the quarter at 25-7.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Knights crept into M-A territory, but Ama Jr. came up with a well-timed interception, swinging possession back to the Bears.
The Bears turned up the gas with a pass from Manumaleuna to Courson, gaining 15 yards. Following this, Manumaleuna chucked a 60-yard over-the-top Hail Mary into the hands of junior wide receiver Kyle Gabriel, landing a touchdown. The extra point was successful, cutting the gap to 25-14 for the Bears with 9:40 on the clock.
“We just can’t come out flat. We have to come out with energy,” Sokol said. “If you waste an entire first half, it’s really hard to win the game.”
M-A shut the gate on King’s Academy with crucial tackles from Yoshida to prevent any Knight’s development into the position. and force a punt on fourth down.
Manumaleuna made a quick pass to Monroe, who ignited a masterful 45-yard run. Birk followed up with a catch to set up the Bears just outside the end zone, and Ama Jr. then squeezed his way in for a touchdown. Ama Jr. ran in the two-point conversion, clawing back to 25-22 to the Knights with 6:50 left in the game.
With their newfound hope, aggressive tackles from Yoshida and sophomore defensive tackle Latu Takitaki made it difficult for King’s Academy to advance. In spite of this, the Knights slowly made their way up the field with small drives. This string of plays ended with a touchdown for the Knights, and a successful extra point stretched their lead to 32-22 with 3:20 on the clock.
Looking for a quick reply, Courson caught the punt return and sprinted past the defenders for a 50-yard gain. Manumaleuna then played a pass to Birk, who ran the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The Bears converted the extra point, tightening the gap to 32-29 with 2:30 left.
However, with the time on the clock being limited, King’s Academy ran down the clock to secure the win, 32-29.
“We had some great leadership by Bishop especially to get our offense back in it, but it just took too long to get that mentality and get that fight going,” Birk said. “We need to be better and come out ready to play.”
The Bears will face off against the King City Mustangs away in the CCS Division III Quarterfinals on Friday at 7 p.m.
