Windsor visits #1 seeded Campolindo on Friday in Moraga
Playoff football is all about peaking when the season is on the line, a weekly litmus test for teams trying to navigate a treacherous minefield that is the postseason.
The Jaguars passed their latest test with flying colors on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs at Livermore, stunning the Cowboys with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to notch a 20-9 win.
The victory propelled #5 Windsor into the NCS semifinals for the second straight year, setting up a Friday, Nov. 24 tilt at #1 seeded perennial state bowl contender Campolindo in Moraga. Kickoff time is set for 7 p.m.
The winner will advance to face the survivor of the #2 Granada vs. #6 Ukiah game in a championship clash next week.
The Cougars (8-4), who scored a 44-20 win over Maria Carrillo on Friday, have been among the top programs in the Section over the last five years, making three straight CIF State Bowl appearances, winning two of the last three Division 3 titles.
The Jaguars (5-5) are well versed in facing state bowl caliber opponents after opening the season against Freedom and Del Oro, and know what to expect against the Cougars this week.
“Campolindo is loaded with speed and can throw the ball with the best of them,” Jags head coach Kevin Ballatore said. “They have two of the top receivers we will face all year and a very talented quarterback. On defense, they play a solid quarter scheme and try to keep everything in front of them. We’ll need another game without turnovers, and when a play is there to be made we need to make it.”
Defense key Jags win
The old adage that defense wins championships was tested again on Saturday, as Windsor dug in for a gritty battle for the line of scrimmage. The Jaguars, who had recorded 15 sacks in the NCS opener against Mt. Eden, continued their assault with senior Bas Osborn leading the charge.
The Jags drew first blood in the opening period when quarterback Nick Pariani found receiver Patrick Tappin on an 80-yard post pattern. The PAT boot was good and Windsor led 7-0 at the end of one. The Cowboys answered with a touchdown in the second quarter to knot the contest at 7-7 at the half.
Livermore took its first lead of the game on a safety to make it 9-7 at the end of three, setting the stage for some Windsor heroics in the final period.
Tappin, in the midst of a monster game, finished off a Jags’ drive with time winding down when he scored on an 11-yard reverse to give Windsor a 13-9 lead. The Cowboys returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield, but cornerback Mikey Contreras sealed the deal moments later on a 71-yard pick-six as the Jags pulled out a stunning 20-9 win.
“The defense is playing extremely well and we had huge games from the entire defensive front,” Ballatore noted. “The secondary played the ball in the air with several knock-downs and a huge pick-six.”
Pariani turned in another solid performance with 14 completions on 23 pass attempts for 216 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Tappin led the receiving corps with three catches for 109 yards and one score, while adding another rushing touchdown. Six different receivers recorded catches for Windsor.
Although no official stats were available, Osborn led the defense with eight solo tackles, three assists and a pair of sacks. Contreras had an interception and return for a touchdown, while Tanner Tobon added a huge fumble recovery for the Jags.
