How a halftime adjustment put Alhambra in front of the DAL-Valley title race

Coach Alan Hern, Alhambra defense makes key adjustment in wild 49-47 victory

MARTINEZ – Alhambra went into the halftime locker room incapable of tackling Mt. Diablo’s superb running back Herschel Turner. The three-star prospect with offers from FBS schools had torn Alhambra’s defense apart, toting the ball 10 times for 242 yards and four touchdowns.

But when the game resumed for the second half, those gaps Mt. Diablo had exploited for huge gains were nowhere to be seen, replaced by a swarm of ready Bulldog tacklers. Alhambra jumped out to a three-touchdown lead and held on for the thrilling 49-47 victory.

So what was that critical adjustment, the change that held its league rivals to just over just 90 rushing yards in the second half, the modification that unofficially clinched the Diablo Athletic League Valley title for Alhambra?

“We widened our defensive ends, got our safeties a little deeper, because they were running by us,” Alhambra coach Alan Hern said. “A couple of nice adjustments really helped us out, and the kids really started swarming to the ball.”

Alhambra quarterback Beau Blau rushed for five touchdowns and threw for another, accounting for 297 yards from scrimmage as Alhambra earned its first winning season since 2017. Turner ended the night with 299 yards.

“This was for the league championship,” Blau said.

Fueled by its defense, Alhambra raced out to a 49-28 lead after a blocked punt on Mt. Diablo’s first possession of the second half gave Alhambra a short field. Blau ran in for a three-yard touchdown on the option.

After bottling up the Mt. Diablo rushing attack for a second consecutive possession, senior RB Mason Jones ran 21 yards and shed multiple tackles to give Alhambra a 21-point lead.

“The defense wanted it more,” Beaty said. “We knew if we stopped them, we could have this game.”

But just when it looked like Alhambra would fly away with the victory, Mt. Diablo took advantage of a litany of fumbles and gaffes by Alhambra to stage a near-rally.

Red Devils quarterback Jakorey Robinson was superb, throwing a 66-yard touchdown to senior Taishaun Glover off play action to start the comeback. On Alhambra’s next possession, Robinson recovered a fumble and ran it back 42 yards for the scoop-and-score to cut the deficit to 49-40 with a half-minute left in the third quarter.

Robinson’s final TD pass with a little under two minutes left in the game made it a two-point game. But the onside kick was unsuccessful, and Alhambra escaped with the victory..

”A really good job by their defensive coordinator.” Mt. Diablo coach Fetuau Mua said.

The first half was a sprint between two offenses that combined for just two punts. Blau finished the opening four-play drive with a short touchdown run, and Turner answered with a 62-yard TD on a run that took him from one sideline to the other.

Turner entered the game having rushed for 1,708 yards and 27 touchdowns in six games, both tops in the North Coast Section.

Blau finished Alhambra’s second drive with a short rollout TD to tight end Colton Banchero. Turner answered on a four-play drive that he ended with an 11-yard run to tie the game at 14-14 midway through the first quarter.

The second quarter started with another 12-yard Turner run against a struggling Alhambra front, but Blau, alongside top receiver Beaty, answered with another scoring drive that concluded with a two-yard keeper for a TD with 6:30 to go in the half.

Mt. Diablo took a 28-21 lead a minute later when Turner bolted down the right sideline for a 67-yard TD, but Alhambra closed the half with two more Blau touchdown runs to give Alhambra a 35-28 lead, and advantage it would not relinquish.

Mt. Diablo (5-2, 1-1) finishes its league schedule with Benicia, Concord and Ygnacio Vallley, all likely victories. However, it would be a shock if Alhambra (6-1, 3-0) squandered its lead in the league race with a loss to either Ygnacio or Northgate.

“This was the two best teams playing tonight, and we knew this was going to be, unofficially, the championship game,” Hern said.