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.