Under Los Altos High School’s Friday night lights, the varsity football team fell short in its first home game this fall. The Eagles lost 7–20 to the Gunderson High School Grizzlies in the schools’ first-ever matchup Friday, Sep. 5. The team now sits 0–2 in non-league play.

“We’ve just got to put our heads down and work hard,” captain senior Will Starkey said. “I think we’ll get a good standing in the league this year.”

With a crowd decked out in white cheering from the stands, the Eagles started off the game with high energy and confidence. But their energy was countered with a quick touchdown from Gunderson in the first quarter. This pattern continued with long passes by the Grizzlies’ No. 2 and 10, and the Eagles were unable to keep up. 

“We underestimated them a bit,” captain senior Gavin Wu said. “At practice, we ran plays simulating what they would do, but there were definitely some good players.”

As the half closed out, the Grizzlies hit another touchdown, putting the Eagles at a 14-point deficit. Out on the field, halftime didn’t help — after an energetic performance by the cheerleading team, a large portion of the student section also departed. 

“It’s a little disheartening to see the fans leave that early,” junior Giancarlo Mendoza said. “We need their support all the way.”

But in the locker room, the Eagles prepared for a comeback. The team focused on boosting morale and switching up their mentality entering the second half — and it helped. 

The Eagles climbed back up on the scoreboard with a third-quarter touchdown by Gavin with two and a half minutes left, boosting the team’s spirits briefly. 

“The touchdown really helped our momentum going forward,” Gavin said. “I wasn’t having a great game, so it also helped me personally.” 

Ultimately, the Eagles struggled to recover from their deficit as Gunderson scored another touchdown in the final quarter. The long passes thrown by 

“They hit us with one punch after another,” Giancarlo said. “They basically beat us with just two players.”

As the Eagles look ahead in the season, they remain hopeful and confident that they can recover from their losses in the preseason for a strong showing in the league games. 

“I know we have a team and that we can win the league,” Giancarlo said. 

The Eagles now have an 0-2 record, and will travel to San José City College to play Bellarmine College Preparatory on Friday, Sept. 12 to face off the Bells.