by Ava Malae (’24) |November 19, 2021
The Saint Francis Varsity Football Team faced the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs during the Homecoming game on October 29, and, with hopes for an exciting victory, the team certainly didn’t disappoint. Saint Francis defeated Mitty with an impressive win of 45-0, completely dominating the game.
In spirit of the game that night, Saint Francis was able to host its first Homecoming Rally in two years to get the student body pumped for this thrilling game. In the face of all of this added excitement, the Varsity Football Team’s mindset was steady as they continued to employ a strong running game that night. The Lancers had 356 total yards, with 239 yards on the ground. Defense came up with a safety early on in the game and continued to apply pressure throughout the night. The offensive and defensive lines displayed their season-long tradition of physicality, dominating the Monarchs. “The hard work that we put in at practice really shows on the field,” says star running back Viliami Teu (’22). “I’m just very blessed to be a part of this team.”
Despite only having 57 rushing yards during the Homecoming Game, Teu recently set the WCAL record for most rushing yards, with a season total of 1993 yards. With his accomplishments in football, Teu says his main motivation for playing is to set an example for the kids looking up to him. “The kids are what really drive me because it’s way bigger than football to me,” he says. “Ultimately, it’s trying to make all these young people be better than me. That’s the goal.”
In addition to meeting team standards and improving every week, head coach Mr. Greg Calcagno says the team hopes to “win a section title and compete for a State Championship.” Echoing Mr. Calcagno’s optimism, Teu states, “Getting better every day, which is a goal of mine, in class, outside of class, but just also making my teammates better. Hopefully we have three more games, or four, which is max, so that’s a goal of ours, just to keep winning.”
The Lancers continue their quest for a CCS title in the semifinal game on November 19 at 7 P.M. as they take on the Menlo-Atherton Bears at Ron Calcagno Stadium. All attending fans can buy their tickets through GoFan, or at the game’s entrance.