Good times for Antioch football
It was a good weekend to be a part of the Antioch football program.
First, the Panthers — handed a 55-22 home defeat last season by Clayton Valley-Concord — went on the road to beat the Eagles 35-34 on Friday.
The following day, Najee Harris — the school’s most famous athletic alum in decades — rushed for a college-career-best 135 yards and a touchdown in Alabama’s 57-7 rout over Arkansas State.
“It all felt good,” Antioch offensive coordinator Brett Dudley said. “We were already feeling on top of things from Friday’s win. That was one of the top two or three games this staff has ever experienced.
“Then for Najee to do what he did. (The staff ) was all texting back and forth throughout. Good stuff.”
The game with Clayton Valley was the best of the night in the Bay Area.
The Panthers, inspired after last year’s game in which they trailed 49-0 after 2½ quarters, jumped all over the Eagles, taking a 27-6 lead behind senior quarterback Willem Karnthong (19for-31, 235 yards, 1 TD; 57 yards rushing, 3 TDs).
Clayton Valley’s Steve Henry returned the secondhalf kickoff 99 yards, igniting a 22-0 spurt to give the Eagles a 28-27 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Karnthong responded by directing a 12-play, 89-yard drive, capped by an 8-yard TD keeper to go up 35-28 following a two-point conversion.
Clayton Valley then countered with its own 12-play scoring drive, but the Panthers stuffed the two-point-conversion try with 4:03 left to play and were able to prevail.
The difference between the two Clayton Valley games was like night and day.
“We felt we lost last year before the game even started,” Dudley said. “We came in so flat. We learned a lot from our mistakes the previous year and used that to stay focused through the week. The boys were as fired up as I’ve ever seen them after the game.”
It’s helped having Karnthong, in his third year starting, progress each season. In three games this year (he missed one with injury), he has completed 37 of 63 passes for 648 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. He also has rushed for 193 yards and three scores.
“He’s worked harder than anyone in the weight room to get ready for this season,” said Dudley, who is also the team’s strength and conditioning coach. “He’s put in a ton of time working with his receivers and has a great understanding of every part of the offense.”
The receiving corps is led by Gaudie Campbell (17 catches, 387 yards, four touchdowns). Junior tailback Jaysn Wade has 404 rushing yards and five TDs.
Davis is dealing: Pinole Valley senior Demari Davis has emerged as a dual-threat quarterback for the Spartans (4-0). He has accounted for 1,003 total yards and 12 touchdowns (10 of them rushing) for Pinole Valley, which has scored 137 points. The Spartans play at Vallejo on Friday.
More top weekend performers: Wilcox-Santa Clara junior running back Paul M. Rosa, son of head coach Paul Rosa, rushed 11 times
“That was one of the top two or three games this staff has ever experienced.” Brett Dudley, Antioch offensive coordinator, on beating Clayton Valley-Concord 35-34
for 287 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-14 win over previously ranked Aragon-San Mateo. … Liberty-Brentwood junior Jay Butterfield completed 16 of 20 passes for 297 yards and five TDs in a 51-9 win over visiting Rocklin. For the season, he is 53-for-82 for 1,004 yards with 15 touchdowns and one interception. … Riordan senior quarterback Adham Abdelghani completed 14 of 24 passes for 304 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-31 win at Napa. He also rushed 13 times for 69 yards.
Get your tickets: The top three games Friday should be three-time USA Today national champion Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas (1-2) at De La Salle-Concord (4-0), 7 p.m. on ESPNU; Chronicle No. 7 Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (2-1) at No. 15 Monte Vista-Danville, 7 p.m., streamed on norcalsportstv.com; and No. 2 Liberty-Brentwood at No. 10 Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, 7 p.m.