Cougars fall to Hillsdale

The Cougars visited the high scoring Knights on a cool evening that was perfect for football. Things got started when Lane Miller made a nice recovery of the opening kickoff which was dangerously bouncing around and the Cougars took the ball at the 30. In two plays they had a first down and things looked promising but a fumble on the next play gave the ball to Hillsdale in Cougar territory. Six plays later the score was 7-0 Knights. On the next possession Adler Halterman ran for a first down, but the drive stalled and the Cougars turned it over on downs. From midfield the Knights needed 11 plays to score on a pass from the 19 yard line and it was 14-0. On their third possession, the Cougars went on a grinding 18 play drive mostly using the Jumbo formation. Offensive player of the week Harrison Tobias scored the touchdown over the left side as part of his 93 yards on the night. Halterman pounded it straight ahead for the two point conversion making it 14-8.  Ali Zavala was awarded scout team player of the week for his overall effort and good looks running the ball.  The Knights drove to the Cougar 12 yard line but the defense stiffened and forced an incompletion on 4th and 5 and a few plays later it was halftime. To start the second half, the Knights drove the ball to the 12 yard line again but defensive player of the week Carlos Moore and his teammates forced a field goal to limit the damage and a 17-8 Hillsdale lead. After another intentionally short kick off was smartly fielded by Hermes McClellan, the offense got going. Eight straight running plays went 45 yards, including two 10 yard runs by Tobias and an 11 yard sweep over the right side by Connor Heath for the score. After senior kicker Joel Delgado booted the PAT through the uprights the score narrowed to 17-15. Hillsdale scored on their next possession and after a penalty put the Cougars behind the chains, special teams player of the week Roman Grabowski long snapped to Aaron Contreras who had a nice 39 yard punt with no return. On second down, the Knights running back took a run 54 yards for a touchdown to stretch the lead to 31-15. On the ensuing drive the Cougars brought the ball out over the 40 yard line but suffered a fumble which was recovered by Hillsdale who were able to run out the clock. There were missed assignments and turnovers which hurt the Cougars but also improvements and good plays to build from going forward. The Cougars host The Kings Academy Friday night at 7 PM as PAL divisional play continues. 

This week’s Community Cougar is no other than former principal, John Nazar.  Mr. Nazar’s love for his school and community still shine through in his retirement.  The Cougars are looking forward to having Mr. Nazar back on campus this week. 

Cougars lose to Burlingame

The Cougars lost in Burlingame on Fri Night vs the Panthers, 20-0.  The Cougars had a tough time stopping the run and plenty of mistakes on offense made it tough for them to score.  The Cougars go into the bye week at 1-3 and will play the Hillsdale Knights for their league opener on Thursday, Sept 28th @ 7:00 pm.  

Rocky Perry Players of the Game

Offense-  Junior Center, Colton Henry

Defense- Junior Safety, Luke Dexter

ST- Senior Punter, Aaron Contreras

Scout- Sophomore Slot/Safety, Fernando Carrillo

Next week’s Community Cougar is Juan Bernabe-Molina. Juan is a current junior who does photography for the Cougars.  You can find him on Instagram under jb.lenzz.

Cougars beat Carlmont 26-12

The Cougars got off the schneid Thursday night, beating the host Carlmont Scots 26-12 for their first win of the season. Kenji Holcomb took the opening kickoff to the 36 yard line and had a 22 yard sweep around right end on the opening drive. On 4th and 6 from the 14 yard line, quarterback Dusty Dimas found Nolan Mullins at the front corner of the end zone. Mullins stretched out for the ball just above the turf as he was going out of bounds, and tapped his toes for a great touchdown catch. Holcomb added two TD catches of his own to earn  co-offensive player of the game along with the workhorse of the night Connor Heath. Heath earned his honor by pounding out 205 yards on 45 carries with a touchdown and breaking tackles all night. The 45 carries is a single game Cougar record. Returning offensive linemen Colton Henry, Aidan Vasquez and Jordi Sanchez led the charge for 253 rushing yards. Carlos Moore was named Special Teams player of the game for his efforts which included a blocked PAT. The defense helped the cause by limiting the Scots run heavy attack to 135 yards. They also forced and recovered three fumbles, one by improving middle linebacker Hermes McClellan who was named Scout player of the week. For the second time in three games, Aaron Contreras was selected Defensive player of the game for his consistency and impact plays. With Carlmont threatening at the Cougar 35, his timely strip sack was recovered by hustling nose guard Carlos Moore to end Carlmont's first drive. He also had a sack in the third quarter. The Orange and Black travel to Burlingame to take on the Panthers at 7 PM this Friday night. Go Cougars!

This week’s Community Cougar is Kris Mason.  Kris is mother to HMBHS alumnu, Kim Harrington, grandmother to HMBHS alumni, Liam and Ryan Harrington and future Cougar, Chloe.  Aside from being a Cougar fan and supporter, Kris has offered her time the past two years to take on the laborious job of sewing name plates onto our players’ jerseys. The Cougars would like to thank her for her continued support even when her grandsons are no longer playing.  

Cougars vs. San Mateo

Last Thursday the Cougars traveled to San Mateo to take on the Bearcats.  The Cougars lost 34-8 to a much improved San Mateo team.  There were some positives to the game, but turnovers and lack of consistency defensively led to a lopsided outcome. 

Rocky Perry Players of the Game:

Scout:  Luke Dexter and Jack Pedersen

Offensive: Kenji Holcomb

Defensive: Aaron Contreras

Special Teams: Connor Heath

This week’s Community Cougar is veteran teacher, Sean Riordan.  Mr. Riordan teaches art and metal at HMBHS.  The Cougars would like to recognize Mr. Riordan’s student centered approach to teaching and his overall positivity on campus. Thank you, Mr. Riordan. 

This week the Cougars will travel to Belmont and attempt to get in the win column Thursday night  against the Carlmont Scots.  The JVs kick off at 4:00 and the Varsity kick off at 7:00

Cougars lose to Leland

The Cougars suffered a disappointing loss to the Leland Chargers on the Cougars’ home opener at John Francis Field.  The Cougars got behind early and couldn’t claw their way back into the game. The final result was a humbling, 40-7 loss.  

Offensive Player of the Game- Utility Senior, Connor Heath

Defensive Player of the Game- Safety Sophomore, Ronin McCauley

Special Teams Player of the Game- Return Man Junior, Kenji Holcomb

Scout Player of the Week- WR, Luke Dexter

This Week’s Community Cougar is David Badet.  Very fitting that a local sports fanatic is a favorite of our players.  Mr. Badet, Geometry teacher and basketball coach at HMBHS, in his short time at HMBHS, has demonstrated everything that HMB is about.  Mr. Badet is intelligent, hard working, and serves our students with 0 ego.  HMB Football would like to thank Mr. Badet for all that he does for all of our students at HMBHS. 

This week the Cougars play one of three Thursday night games. The Cougars play at San Mateo High School on 8/31. The JV kick off at 4 and the varsity at 7.

Pre-Season Scrimmage 8.18.2023

The Cougars started the 2023 football season with a scrimmage against Sacred Heart Prep and Bellarmine College Prep at home on Friday night . The Cougars held their own against two good teams from strong leagues, scoring against both and giving up one score to each. On his first varsity start at QB, Dusty Dimas led the orange and black on a 60 yard scoring drive  featuring a 22 yard pass to Ronin McCauley and capped by a Harrison Tobias plunge from the 2 yard line. Other offensive highlights included a 25 yard completion to Connor Heath, and a 26 yard TD run by Tobias. Colton Henry and Jordi Sanchez led the offensive line. On defense, Hermes McClellan played solid in his first start at linebacker. Fellow 'backer Lane Miller, Sanchez at defensive end and Heath at strong safety made good contributions. McCauley at free safety had an interception off a pass deflected by linebacker Jack Pederson. Kenji Holcomb had a nice debut at slotback and corner. Come out to cheer on the Cougars for game one on the schedule as they host the Leland Chargers this Friday at 7 PM!  

Cougars defeat Dons 35-16

It wasn't always easy but the Cougars came out with a convincing win against the Aragon Dons at their San Mateo campus Friday night, 36 - 10. Aragon was able to gain yards but was held to a single field goal until the 4th quarter. During the week of practice, receiver Nolan Mullins made numerous catches to test the defense and was named Scout player of the week. His effort helped the defense to play well and limited the Don's to 4 completions on 12 attempts and just 89 yards. Peter Valdez and Ayden Courtney led the team in tackles, and each had a tackle for loss. Jordi Sanchez also had a TFL in his first Varsity start on defense. Connor Heath, Gael Segura, Hermes McClellan had multiple tackles along with Dio Lucido who broke up a pass in the end zone. It was tough to decide on Defensive player of the week but Ivan Aguilar was given the honor for his overall play with multiple tackles including one for a loss while switching from his normal linebacker spot to strong safety. On offense the running game piled up 267 yards, led by Offensive player of the week PJ Modena. Totaling 128 yards on just 11 carries, Modena had two TDs including a 34 yard bolt where he didn't slow down while running over an Aragon defender at the 25 yard line. Liam Harrington was 5 of 8 for 76 yards passing and after a deft fake, ran untouched for a two point conversion after the first Cougar touchdown. Harrison Tobias had a nice game with 49 yards on 11 carries including a touchdown but saved his best for special teams. Special was the right name for two exciting plays in the kicking game where the Cougars executed two on-sides kick offs. Segura and Julian Jimenez both struck perfectly bouncing kicks recovered by Lucido and Heath. Tobias, our Special Teams Player of the Week,  wasn't to be outdone when he blocked a punt deep in Aragon territory to give the Cougars prime scoring position and the knockout blow against the Dons.

This week the Cougars host rival Terra Nova on Friday night at home at 7 PM. The match against the Tigers is the final regular season game but the Cougars will be in the CCS playoffs the following week with the location and opponent to be decided this weekend. Go Cougars!

This week’s Community Cougars are the Seaton Family.  The Seatons have been a part of Cougar Football for multiple generations.  Mike, John Francis Award Winner, was a standout multi-sport athlete who coached Pop Warner Football on the coast for years.  Mike and his family have manned the chain gang for years up on Cougar Hill.   His wife Audrey, was a team mom for many years.  Mike’s children and nephews all wore the black and orange and were standout athletes.  His nephew, Michael Seaton, had his #1 jersey retired.  Michael and his father, Dave, coached for the Cougars for years.  Currently, Michael is now coaching his son, Dom, in Pop Warner Football.  All the Seatons know the relevance of this game to Half Moon Bay and are an excellent family to recognize this week. 

Cougars drop one to the Panthers 29-27

It was a real cat fight Friday night with the Cougars taking on the Panthers on Homecoming weekend. Things started out great for the home side with the first drive going 10 straight running plays highlighted by a 36 yard romp by PJ Modena and a 6 yard bolt for a touchdown by Harrison Tobias. With the Julian Jimenez extra point, it was 7-0 home team. Burlingame went three and out on their first drive and after the punt, the Cougars pounced again. On first down, Owen Miller hit Kai Zannette for a 39 yard pass bringing the ball to the Panthers 35 yard line. Three plays later Modena exploded for 21 yards and a touchdown, giving the Cougars a 14-0 lead just before the end of the first quarter. On their next series the Panthers felt the game slipping away so they tried a pass on 4th and 5 from their own territory but couldn’t convert.The Cougars took the ball on the Panther 41 yard line and were moving in for the kill, but ended up having a pass intercepted. Burlingame went on to score twice in the second quarter to tie the score 14-14 at halftime. Offensive Player of the Week PJ Modena scored another touchdown in the 3rd quarter and totaled 161 yards on just 19 carries. Miller added 50 yards on the ground and went 6 of 9 passing for 106 yards including a 26 yard touchdown pass to Dio Lucido late in the game.  At 21-14 at the end of the third it looked promising, but the Panthers scored twice in the fourth quarter. On their last PAT attempt, the Burlingame snap was low and the holder scrambled, evaded tacklers and threw a pass into the end zone for a two point conversion. This gave them 29 points and when the Cougars failed on their two point attempt after the Miller to Lucido TD pass, the score stood at 29-27 with 48 seconds remaining. Special Teams players of the Week Gael Segura and Ayden Courtney teamed up for an improbable but successful on-sides kick recovery which gave the Cougars a final opportunity. Miller completed two passes to work the ball down to the 25 yard line but the Cougars failed to score before time ran out. During the game,several possessions were stifled by the Cougars with notable plays, like Miller recovering a Panther fumble and a sack delivered by Modena. For his play on the defensive line, Alan Avila was named Defensive Player of the Week for his consistency, effort and getting in on numerous tackles.  Gio Lopez-Ruano was named Scout Team Player of the Week.  

The loss was a tough one, but the Cougars are very much alive in the playoff hunt with two regular season games remaining. This Friday the Cougars will travel to Aragon at 7 PM and then will host the rival Tigers of Terra Nova on Cougar Hill Friday night, November 4th. Go Cougars !!

The week’s Community Cougars are the HMBHS broadcasting dream team of Pat Olson (Play by Play) and John Carey (Color Man).  Mr. Olson and Mr. Carey have been the personalities of the “Mark Foyer Press Box” for years.  Mr. Olson has also kept stats for the Cougars for years.  We’d like to thank these two teachers for all that they contribute to Cougar Football. 

Cougars defeat Menlo 53-42

Bright lights and a sell out crowd were not needed Friday afternoon at Menlo's Cartan Field to generate excitement. The Cougars received the opening kick and on third down, their first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, pumping up the home side of the field. The Knights were denied on a 2 point conversion play and took the early lead 6-0. Liam Harrington plunged in for a five yard TD run to even the score after an 80 yard drive. The two teams would combine for almost 900 yards of offense and 95 points on the warm afternoon filled with gridiron fireworks, with the Cougars coming out victorious 53-42. PJ Modena was again the work horse carrying 31 times for 175 yards to lead all rushers but that was just the beginning of the ground assault put on the Menlo defense. The offensive line of Luis Nic, Aiden Vasquez, Colton Henry, Alan Avila, Gael Segura, and Jordi Sanchez along with tight ends Kai Zannette, Ayden Courtney, and Peter Valdez were named Offensive Players of the Week for their dominating performance. The Cougars ran through, around and over the Knights, totalling 467 yards rushing. Dio Lucido added 112 yards, Harrison Tobias broke off a 61 yard touchdown romp as part of his 96 yards and Liam Harrington piled on 80 more before having to leave the game due to an injury. The Knights offense was explosive, and tried to keep pace but in the end the Cougar defense made enough plays to hold them off. With Harrington out, senior safety and slotback Owen Miller stepped into the breach and took over at QB but his play on defense and special teams led the orange and black to victory. Miller made two tackles on kicking plays, became the holder on field goal and PAT attempts, had two sacks and a key interception on defense and overall had a huge impact through his confident and calm demeanor. Joining Miller on defense with timely plays were Hermes McClellan with a tackle for loss, Avila and Cortney with sacks, and Lucido and Modena making 6 tackles each. In addition to the Cougar's six rushing touchdowns, Lucido had a TD reception from Harrington and added a two point conversion run. Zannette made a nice catch in traffic and jimenez knocked in a 31 yard field goal.The Cougars play at home Friday night at 7 PM against the Burlingame Panthers for Homecoming. Come out and root them on !!

This week’s Community Cougar for Homecoming week is Jonathan Bali.  Jonathan is an alumni who graduated in 2014.  Since graduating from HMBHS, Jonathan has spent time coaching here on Cougar Hill and has since taken his passion for football and the coastside and shared his photography of the team on Instagram.  Jonathan’s work can be found @johnbalisworld.  

Cougars fall to SHP

Saturday afternoon saw warm, sunny conditions in Menlo Park, but both offenses were cold until late in the contest. The visiting Cougars hung in with solid defense against the Gators of Sacred Heart Prep but eventually fell 17 - 7 in a tough battle. Led by senior safety Kai Zannette who was named Defensive Player of the week, the score remained 0 - 0 into the third quarter. Zannette, Ayden Courtney and Hermes McClellan had tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Defensive backs Ryan Harrington, Connor Heath, and Dio Lucido only allowed two pass receptions for the entire game. Unfortunately, a promising Cougar drive ended when a tipped ball was intercepted and returned for a touchdown midway through the third quarter giving SHP a 7 - 0 lead. The Cougars responded with a 15 play, 80 yard drive capped off with an Owen Miller 5 yard TD run to tie the score at 7 - 7. Quarterback Liam Harrington shared Offensive Player of the week with Lucido who caught seven passes for 86 yards. Harrington also gained yards in the run game along with Harrison Tobias, Peter Valdez and PJ Modena to put the Cougars at just under 200 yards rushing. Julian "JJ" Jimenez was again named Special Teams Player of the week for his effective kick offs, successful PAT and controlling a high punt snap and getting it off successfully. Tobias also played cornerback and was awarded Scout Team player of the week for his tough running at practice and improving defensive play. The 5-1 Cougars return to Menlo Park on Friday at 3 PM to take on the Knights of Menlo School.

COUGARS HOLD OFF MENLO -ATHERTON

Just like last year, the game against Menlo-Atherton couldn't get any closer. A one point margin was the difference in both games, but this year's final score was 22 - 21...... Cougars!! Competition and enthusiasm during practice are key ingredients to prepare against tough opponents. Adriano Gutierrez and Aaron Contreras both exemplified this and were awarded Scout players of the week for their efforts. The game was filled with tension and big plays made by both teams. In the final minutes with the home stands rocking, the game was won, then looked lost, and then won again in dramatic fashion. Offensive player of the week Kai Zannette made three great catches for 76 yards to lead all receivers, including a nine yard gain on 3rd and 8 to keep the first drive alive. Zannette got hit hard just as the ball arrived but hung on inside the two yard line to set up PJ Modena on a TD run the next play. Senior quarterback Liam Harrington then hit Dio Lucido for a two point conversion pass and the Cougars led 8-0 early. After holding MA on fourth down near midfield, Zannette hauled in a 50 yard reception from Owen Miller on a reverse pass, ending up inside the Bears five yard line. A few plays later, Modena plunged in for his second touchdown run and would grind out 134 yards on 23 carries on the night. The Cougars led 15-0 in the first quarter after Special Teams player of the week Julian Jimenez made the first of his two PAT kicks. Jiminez also kicked off effectively, preventing return yards and Connor Heath recovered his punt after M-A muffed it later in the half. Things looked easy early, until the Bears scored on their second possession on a 78 yard burst to make it 15 - 7. They scored again on their next drive and it was 15 - 14 at halftime. The Bears scored with 5 1/2 minutes to go in the third quarter and led 21- 15. The Cougars responded to their score with a score of their own in the fourth quarter with Miller on the receiving end this time. On 4th and goal from the 5 yard line, Harrington, who finished 9 of 14 for 109 yards, bought time while Miller slipped into the back corner of the end zone for the grab. After some back and forth, things got really exciting late. The Cougars appeared to hold on fourth down with the ball on the Bears 40 yard line, but a questionable pass interference call gave MA the ball on the Cougar 45 with two and a half minutes to play. Peter Valdez made a touchdown-saving tackle a few plays later, but the ball rested on the six yard line with a minute remaining and an easy chip shot field goal in reach. Given the Bears have a kicker with a strong leg, that's when all seemed lost, but three penalties on the Bears put the ball on the 26 yard line for a third down and goal play. Another big play was needed and Ayden Courtney delivered by sacking the MA quarterback all the way back at the 43 yard line. One last heave into the end zone was knocked away by Lucido and the Cougars came out victorious in their first Bay division game of the season. The Cougars are 5-0 heading into next Saturday's game at Sacred Heart Prep against the Gators. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a52T7G7vcYg

http://www.hudl.com/v/2JNnYd

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/half-moon-bay-holds-off-menlo-atherton-in-bay-football-opener/article_1a358680-4151-11ed-ad95-4339f551610d.html

This week’s Community Cougar is Mikey Barragan.  Mr. Barragan is a teacher and baseball coach at Half Moon Bay.  Mr. Barragan is an HMB Alum who is all about the Orange and Black. Mr. Barragan lives downtown with his wife Alena, and two kids, Quicy and Abby.  The Cougars would like to thank Mr. Barragan for all he has done and continues to do for Half Moon Bay Football and the overall Half Moon Bay community. 

Cougars beat Spartans; 4-0 record heading to bye week

The Cougars vanquished the Spartans 37 - 30 at home Friday night but it wasn't easy. Things started out well when the Cougars took the ball to the edge of the red zone on their first possession but fumbled the 4th down play, giving the ball over to the Mountain view offense. The Spartans worked the ball down the field and scored to go up 7 - 0 early. Owen Miller took the short kickoff to their 40 yard line to start the next drive. Five plays later PJ Modena exploded through the middle for a 41 yard TD run and Dio Lucido took a wide handoff to the left and ran untouched to score a two point conversion. After another Spartan drive, Lucido intercepted a pass into the Cougars end zone to put the offense back on the field at the Cougars 20 yard line. For the third play in a row, Lucido made things happen, this time on the receiving end of an 80 yard, play-action pass from Liam Harrington. Starting defensive end Gael Segura performed a perfect on-sides kick and recovered the ball himself. Segura played well all night and was selected as Special Teams player of the week. Fellow defensive end Hermes McClellan won Defensive player of the week for his consistent and effective play. An eight play drive was finished off by Offensive player of the week Modena on a 2 yard TD run and the PAT by Julian Jimenez made the score 22 - 7. Later, Mountain View scored a touchdown and then things got weird. The ensuing short kick off bounced backwards and then was kicked by a pursuing Spartan who eventually recovered near the Cougars 10 yard line. The Spartans scored a TD again and the Cougars scored a touchdown on a Harrison Tobias plunge from 2 yards out. After a HMB interception, the defense held the Spartans to a field goal. But, the Cougars again failed to recover another short kick off leading to a 28 yard Spartan touchdown pass and the Cougars now trailed 30 - 29. With approximately 6 minutes to go in the game, the Cougars went on a grinding 15 play TD drive with Modena bullying his way into the end zone. On Mountain View's last possession, Alan Avila combined for a strip-sack with Segura recovering the ball to ice the game with a minute remaining. The Cougars enter their bye week at 4 - 0 and prepare to start Bay division play against Menlo-Atherton at home on September 30th. 

Watch Highlights Here:

https://www.hudl.com/video/2/17201/63280373dfd82709ac7839b5

HMB defeats Carlmont 49-35

The Cougars won a tough fought game at John Francis Field on Friday night, beating the Carlmont Scotts 49-35.  The Cougars offense was clicking and scored on all but two possessions on the night.  Leading rusher, PJ Modena, racked up 188 yards on 22 carries and scored 3 touchdowns.  Although the defense gave up 35 points to a well-executed Scotts team, it was on the defensive side of the ball when the Cougars had arguably their most exciting play.  On a first and 15 from the Scotts’ 45 yard line, Gael Segura tackled the Scotts’ ball carrier in the backfield, and as the ball came loose, Ayden Courtney scooped and scored to give the Cougars a 22 point lead at the end of the 3rd quarter.  Although the Scotts would close the lead to one score in the 4th quarter, the Cougars were able to lean on their offensive line, putting the game away with a drive that resulted in a Peter Valdez touchdown. 

Rocky Perry Players of the Game:

Offense:  The Offensive Line (Ayden Courtney, Luis Nic, Aidan Vazquez, Colon Henry, Alan Avila, Jordi Sanchez, and Kai Zanette)

Defense:  Linebacker, Peter Valdez

Special Teams: Short and Long Snapper, Liam Harrington and Hands Team’s Aidan Vazquez

Scout: Linebacker, Ayden Courtney

This week’s Community Cougar is Breen Hofmann.  Breen grew up on the coast playing football for Half Moon Bay.  He was inducted into the HMBHS Hall of Fame in 2015 for his efforts on the field. As an adult, Breen has given back to his community by coaching and being the president of Pop Warner football.  He coached with the high school team from 2015-2021.  He is now currently back on the Pop Warner gridiron.  Breen’s children,Chase and Tristan (Chinny), both have their jerseys retired for HMBHS Football.  Breen and his wife, Emma, currently run The Lazy H Ranch in Half Moon Bay.  

Game Highlights Here:

https://www.hudl.com/v/2J8efg

News Link:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/09/10/high-school-football-half-moon-bay-carlmont/

There are a lot of nice pics here. 

Cougars Blank San Mateo 36-0

The Cougars won big in the home opener, mauling the Bearcats 36-0 on Friday night. Quarterback Liam Harrington led the option offense to 198 yards on the ground and added 173 more in the air to earn Offensive player of the week. Liam started the scoring by hitting brother Ryan in stride for a long touchdown pass and again threw to Ryan on the successful two point conversion. On the kick off, Special Teams player of the week, Gael Segura drilled a perfect on-sides kick and recovered the ball himself, bringing the offense back on the field. On first down, perfect pass protection from the offensive line freed up Owen Miller to connect with Kai Zanette on a trick play for another long TD throw. Miller also helped his teammates with nice runs from the Jumbo package. Rushing touchdowns were scored by Peter Valdez (who also earned Scout team player of the week), PJ Modena and Harrison Tobias. Meanwhile, the defense hammered the visitors led by Valdez, Aidan Vasquez, Segura and leading tackler Modena who was named Defensive player of the week. Dio Lucido had an interception and the team recovered three forced fumbles on the way to the shutout victory. Come out to see the Cougars take on the 2-0 Carlmont Scots Friday night at 7:00 at John Francis Field.

https://www.hudl.com/video/2/17201/6313a57490eefd078c51c4ee

This week’s Community Cougar is Michael Peimani.  Mr. Peimani teaches Physics at HMBHS.  Mr. Peimani’s passion for academics and enthusiasm towards our students makes his class fun for our students.  Mr. Peimani, a Santa Cruz native, now lives in Pacifica with his wife and two children.

Cougars Defeat Leland 35-9

The Cougars traveled to Leland High in San Jose for the first time to open the 2022 season with a convincing 35 – 9 win at Pat Tillman Field. Liam Harrington led the offense and scored a rushing touchdown in his first varsity start at quarterback leading the Orange and Black option attack. PJ Modena had a break-out game, earning offensive player of the week by running over and through the Chargers all night. Fellow seniors Ryan Harrington and Owen Miller also scored in the convincing win over the Chargers. Miller also earned Scout Team player of the week, along with Ivan Aguilar for their efforts during the week of practice. The defense did its part, only giving up a field goal until late in the fourth quarter. Senior defensive end Gael Segura had two sacks and was named Defensive player of the week. Julian “JJ” Jimenez had a great night with an interception in one on one coverage. He converted all five extra points and a perfectly executed on-side kick-off which the Cougars recovered immediately after their first touchdown and was named Special Teams player of the week. The team selected Ms. Kling as Community Cougar for this coming week against San Mateo. Come out to see the Cougars take on the Bearcats Friday at 7:00 for the home opener.

Check out highlights here:

http://www.hudl.com/v/2Hz2pg

Bellarmine Scrimmage 8.19.2022

The Cougars hosted the Bellarmine Bells at John Francis Field for a scrimmage to start the 2022 football season. Things got off to an exciting start with touchdowns scored, sacks made and the Cougars holding their own against a tough squad from the powerful WCAL. Led by the senior class, there were a lot of positives including a nice pass from quarterback Liam Harrington to Owen Miller. Not to be outdone by his brother, Ryan Harrington had a pass break up and combined with fellow senior Kai Zannetti to force a fumble at the one yard line, snuffing out a Bells scoring chance with the ball being recovered by Nolan Mullins. PJ Modena and Peter Valdez split time at running back and played linebacker alongside fellow seniors Gael Segura and Ayden Courtney. Courtney and Modena had sacks while another senior, Dio Lucido made his varsity football debut with a pass break up of his own and a 25 yard reception on a screen pass from Harrington. More seniors contributed with Luis Nic and Alan Avila anchoring the offensive line along with juniors Jordi Sanchez and Aidan Vasquez. Sophomores Colton Henry at center, and receiver/DB Connor Heath also made their first varsity appearance. The Cougars visit the Chargers at Leland High School this Friday night at 7 pm for the official start of the gridiron season. Go Cougars!!!   

This week’s Community Cougar is Brian Anderson.  Mr. Anderson is coach of the PAL Championship Baseball Team here at HMBHS.  He is also a PE teacher who has many of our players in his Power and Strength class.  Mr. Anderson has been extremely supportive of our players and many other students in our community throughout the years.  We’d like to thank Mr. Anderson for all that he does here at HMBHS. 

Cougars Win at Sacred Heart Prep 47-39

The dynamic duo of William Moffitt at QB and Quinn McCauley at RB, along with a clutch defensive stand ensured the Cougars their third PAL Bay division win Friday at Sacred Heart Prep 47-39. Things started out rough when SHP took a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes. A slip fielding the opening kick off put the ball on the 2 yard line, and on the first play Moffitt was tackled for a safety. After the resulting kick off from the 20 yard line, SHP scored quickly and the Cougars were in a hole. They would mount a comeback led by the duo with an offense that scored on almost every possession after the early miscues. McCauley was named Offensive player of the game after running 25 times for 176 yards and a TD, blocking effectively on run and pass plays and breaking tackles to wear out the Gators. Moffitt ran the ball 19 times for 159 yards utilizing the option, added 103 yards passing on just 4 receptions, and totaled 5 touchdowns on the night. One of those came when he rolled right, avoided two defenders, and kept his eyes downfield to throw a 30 yard TD strike to PJ Modena. He also had four rushing touchdowns and played defensive back in the fourth quarter. In addition to 18 yards rushing and 65 receiving, Modena made his biggest contributions on defense including 3 tackles for loss and a sack which earned him Defensive player of the game. Other key players included Julian "JJ" Jimenez, named Special Teams player of the game for his kicking and making a touchdown saving tackle on the kickoff team and Michael Hamor Jr for his disruptive play at defensive line in practice which earned him Scout player of the week. After building a ten point lead with under four minutes remaining, the Cougars seemed to have the victory secured but another strange sequence led to a tight finish. Jack Furr made a touchdown saving tackle on a 33 yard pass play which put SHP on the one foot line. That's when the defense rose up and stuffed the Gators on four plays in a row. Linebackers Sam Lowings and Modena combined to stop the first down run for no gain. Modena then drilled the SHP runner for a two yard loss on second down, defensive end William Lozano and Lowings tackled the runner at the one yard line on third down and then Lowings and McCauley stopped the fourth down play and the Cougars took over at the two yard line. The game now looked wrapped up but a penalty took away a first down and the Cougars had to punt from the back of their end zone. The punt was then blocked for a safety, making it an 8 point game. The kickoff went out of bounds and the Gators had life and momentum at the HMB 45 yard line with two timeouts remaining. The defense held again, only allowing the Gators to the 34 yard line. McCauley also was clutch on defense with two sacks and a tackle for loss in the closing minutes to snuff out SHP's last chance to tie the game. Moffitt took the kneel down to run out the clock and the Cougars took another step toward the CCS playoffs. The Skull Game against rival Terra Nova in Pacifica Friday night is already the biggest game of the regular season but it will also determine the final seeding for the playoffs so come out and root on the Cougars to retain the trophy !!

Cougars fall to M-A 47-48

The Cougars battled the Bears to the very end, scored six touchdowns but came up just a bit short falling 47-46 at home on Friday night. Seniors William Moffitt and Quinn McCauley led the offense with three TDs apiece, and totaled 232 and 151 yards rushing respectively. Moffitt had another 54 yards passing, 32 of those to McCauley which earned each of them honors as Offensive players of the game. After being down 14-0 in the first quarter, McCauley exploded through the middle for a 69 yard touchdown and Moffitt added the first of three HMB two point conversions. More highlights included those by Special Teams player of the week Julian Jiminez who was 2 of 2 on PATs, punted the ball to midfield after a high snap into the HMB end zone, and recovered his own onsides kick which sparked another scoring drive. Moffitt also played defense and brought the home stand to their feet when he returned a kickoff 100 yards for another touchdown. The MA passing offense was tough to stop even with the good looks provided by receivers Alex Cortes-Brena and Jack Furr who earned Scout players of the week. With both teams scoring on almost every possession, the Cougars were down a score in the 4th quarter. The Bears were threatening at the 6 yard line again but Defensive player of the week Liam Harrington made a huge play when he blitzed and sacked the QB all the way back at the 24 yard line. The Cougars held on fourth down and again on the next M-A drive with another sack, this time by Ayden Courtney. This gave the Cougars one last chance to score to take the lead. The last drive unfortunately ended with a long pass into the Bears end zone which was intercepted. The Cougars have played four of the top six teams in the CCS in their first five games. They continue Bay division play at home this week vs The Kings Academy at 7 PM Friday.

Highlights are here:

http://www.hudl.com/v/2G47d8

This week’s Community Cougar is Len Tomberlin.  Len is an HMB Alum.  Len’s wife, son, and daughter are all graduates of Half Moon Bay High School.  His son, Gavin, is one of the most decorated players to come through our program.  Len has dedicated a lot of his time to coaching Pop Warner on the Coastside.  His enthusiasm for kids, football and Half Moon Bay, make him the perfect Community Cougar for this homecoming week. 

Half Moon Bay Road trip to Los Gatos

The Cougars took on their third top tier opponent of the pre-season at Los Gatos Friday night. For the third game in a row, the offense scored on its first possession when senior running back Quinn McCauley plunged into the end zone from one yard out. The touchdown capped off a grinding 17 play drive and levelled the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Some of the stats favored the Cougars at the end of the game including more rushing yards and number of offensive plays. A big part of that was the effort and consistency of senior center William Lozano who earned offensive player of the week. Quarterback William Moffitt led the way with 136 yards on 23 carries and added 35 yards passing, including two receptions to Liam Harrington. The Cats took control in the remainder of the second quarter with four scores. The Cougars battled and each team scored twice in the second half.  PJ Modena had a nice 27 yard touchdown run in the middle of the third quarter and Moffitt finished the scoring with a 43 yard touchdown in the fourth, bringing the final score to 49-21 in favor of the Cats. For their all important effort during the week preparing for the game, Julian Jiminez and John Billington were named Scout team players of the week. Senior Sam Lowings played well and was named Special Teams player of the week for his long snapping and kick off coverage in addition to starting on offense and defense. Ayden Courtney was consistent on defense and was awarded Defensive Player of the Game. The Cougars finish the non-league part of their schedule at home this Friday at 7 PM vs the Lowell Cardinals of San Francisco.

This week’s Community Cougar is Dr. Hees.  Dr. Hees is an avid Cougar fan, supporting student athletes both in the classroom and on the playing field.  Our players wanted to thank Dr. Hees for all of his support.

Half Moon Bay takes on Serra

William Moffitt led the Cougars against the Padres on a warm Saturday afternoon that started with much promise. On the game's opening drive, Moffitt had a 32 yard run on an option play to the left and eventually scored from 3 yards out to give the visiting Cougars a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Moffitt had a blocked punt and led all Half Moon Bay runners with 98 yards, averaging over 6 yards per carry and earned Offensive player of the week.  The Cougars played tough and trailed only 14-7 at halftime against the defending NorCal champions. Eventually, Serra pulled away and ended up winning 47-7. Satchel Hart had a great week of practice, earning Scout player of the week. Hart contributed 16 yards rushing and had a reception from Moffitt while playing every snap on offense and defense. Julian Jiminez kicked off, made a PAT after Moffitt's score and took over punting duties in the second half and was named Special Teams player of the week. For his all out effort and performance on defense, Sam Lowings was named Defensive player of the week. Lowings also played every snap while starting at right tackle on offense and middle linebacker on defense.

http://www.hudl.com/v/2Fnge8

This week the Cougars will travel to Los Gatos on Friday night. The JV kick off at 4:30 and the Varsity Team at 7:00.

This week’s Community Cougar is Becky Ruppel.  Becky does photography for the Cougars. Becky also runs our website.  Over the years, she has put in countless hours to support our program.  She is a huge sports fan who can be seen on the sidelines on Friday Night always catching all the action.