November 9th 2024.
On a chilly Friday night, the atmosphere at Thompson Field in Alameda was filled with excitement and energy. The sound of sharp cracks and deafening booms was accompanied by yellow confetti swirling through the air. The cheers and hoots from hundreds of fans and players added yet another layer to the noise, creating a truly electric atmosphere. As the final score of "Alameda 42, Encinal 7" was displayed on the scoreboard, a chant echoed through the packed bleachers - "This is our house!"
It was the 69th edition of the Island Bowl, and the two teams had shared the venue and its patchy grass field throughout the season. Encinal's stadium was undergoing renovations, making it unusable. The Alameda Hornets entered the game with a few points to prove. Thanks to a dominant defensive effort, which included three interceptions, two touchdowns by Landyn Cole, and 157 hard-earned rushing yards by Christian DeGuzman, the Hornets not only won the WACC Shoreline title but also secured a playoff spot as the undisputed best team in the league.
But for the Hornets, the victory had a deeper significance. It was their second consecutive win over their crosstown rivals, and it prevented the Jets from sharing the league championship. "The scoreboard speaks for itself," said Cole. "This is our house, and we've still got the trophy."
With a 7-3 record in the regular season and a perfect 4-0 in the league, the Hornets had a successful year. Unlike last year's team, which missed the playoffs and was not a league champion, this year's team was determined to make it to the North Coast Section playoffs. "That was our motivation," said lineman Anelka Okello. "And we also wanted to make up for not winning the league last year. This year, we turned it around."
Coach Robin Morris was hopeful that his team would be moved from Division II to D-IV in the section's new format. "That's what we're hoping for, given our history of being up and down," Morris said. "Division IV would be a good fit for us, as I don't think we can compete with the bigger schools."
The game was more closely contested than the final score suggested. The Encinal defense had a strong start, forcing a punt, a turnover on downs, and a takeaway on their first five possessions. Jets lineman Filisione Vakalahi was unstoppable, with three sacks and a forced fumble on the dusty field. His fellow senior, Marco Garcia, also had a sack. "We worked hard, and I'm proud of how our program is headed in the right direction," Garcia said.
However, the Hornets couldn't be held back for long. They finally broke through when Casey Koga-Dean threw a perfect pass to Kirk Humbles III for a 10-yard touchdown, capping off a five-play drive with 3:39 left in the first half. "It's like he's playing Madden," DeGuzman said of Humbles III, who also had two interceptions.
After entering the halftime break with a 7-0 lead, DeGuzman ensured that the Hornets would enter the final quarter with a comfortable 14-0 lead. He scored on an eight-yard run with 1:48 left in the third period. From there, the tired Encinal defense gave up two more touchdowns by Cole, a punt return score by Jayden Sullivan, and a short touchdown dive by lineman Hayden Arndt.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Encinal fans finally had something to cheer about when senior running back Alexander Marston capped off his career with a thrilling 60-yard punt return for a touchdown. The Jets finished their season with a record of 4-6, 3-2. Meanwhile, Alameda was eagerly waiting to find out who they would face in the playoffs after Sunday's seeding meeting. "Finally," Okello said. "It's my first time making the playoffs here at Alameda. I can't wait."
As the game came to an end, the Alameda players celebrated their victory. Humbles III was hoisted up by his teammates as he proudly held the Island Trophy. They were joined by their coach, Robin Morris, who had led them to a successful season. The players were all smiles as they hugged and congratulated each other. It was a night they would never forget.
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