A week off might have been what Live Oak needed following two straight losses to Christopher and Gilroy.
“It was a good time for us,” said coach Mike Gemo. “We got a little bit healthy and got some rest in us and a lot of learning. The kids got hopefully got refocused.”
Gemo said they lightened things up a little bit in practice and just allowed the players to take a breath after a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Christopher and a blowout loss to Gilroy right before the break.
But now Live Oak is getting the chance to get back at it on Friday when the Acorns take on a familiar foe they haven’t seen for a couple of years.
The Acorns will travel to Westmont for the first time since 2014 when they knocked off the Warriors 6-0 in a game that ultimately decided the Santa Teresa Division title.
Now Westmont—after winning the division back-to-back years—has moved up to the Mt. Hamilton Division.
The Warriors are coming off an 11-2 season a year ago and are off to a fast start winning their first three games so far this season.
They have outscored opponents 104-34 and are averaging just under 35 points per game.
However, Westmont hasn’t played a rigourous schedule.
The Warriors’ opponents are a combined 2-8 overall with two of them being winless.
Even so, Gemo said he is not taking Westmont, nor his former coach Mark Kaanapu lightly by any means.
“We expect them to be ready to play coming off a great season a year ago,” Gemo said. “They’re a good football team with a bunch of guys who know how to win.”
The biggest threat for Westmont will come from its quarterback with a solid supporting cast around him.
“They’ve got a big, tall quarterback and a couple of lanky receivers who came make some good plays right now. We expect them to throw the ball around,” Gemo said. “(On top of that) they have a runningback who can scoot a little bit.”
Defensively, Gemo said Westmont likes to load up the box and put pressure on quarterbacks.
“They like to play man coverage and they’ve got guys they feel can run with anybody,” Gemo said.
Kickoff for Friday’s game is slated for 7 p.m. in Campbell.
