The Menlo football team closed the season and, for the seniors, so did a chapter of their high school years in Friday’s Valparaiso Bowl game.
Menlo lost to Sacred Heart Prep 49-14 in their annual rivalry game, which for 17 years has benefitted Peninsula Bridge, which provides academic and personal support for middle-school students in under-resourced communities.  
The Knights (3-7) had a roller-coaster season, but they know that the longer-lasting memories will be the ones they had training with their team, playing alongside kids they’ve known since they were in elementary school to new friends met as freshmen.                                        
“I think it’s one of those things coming into this year, we hoped things would go differently but I think the experiences we went through since going back to January 7 am lifting with these guys, that’s what I will remember most.” said Jaden Richardson, one of four senior captains, along with Alex Herrod, Adam Kasser, Justin Sellers. “Especially for me, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to come back (from injury) and play this year, so to be able to come back with this group of guys, I couldn’t ask for anything more.” SHP reeled off three scoring drives, converting on each of its possessions with Tevita Moimoi picking up two of his three TDs for the night in the first quarter.The Knights came out of halftime renewed - marching down the field 80 yards in seven plays. Menlo junior quarterback Elliot Kinder was 5 for 5 completions on this drive, getting big gains from junior receivers Chris d’Alençon, Justin Creamer, as well as a 26-yard gain to Richardson. The Knights got on the board when Kinder found Richardson for an 8-yard TD. SHP answered with a score of its own before Kinder launched another drive. He again threw to d’Alençon for 15 yards,Richardson for 11 and Sellers for 26 before capping the play with a 14-yard TD pass to Sellers. A slow start would set the Knights back 28-0 at halftime,  but Menlo was edged by a touchdown in the second half.”The season had lots of ups and downs, but we never gave up,” Sellers said. “We had a lot of tough games and a lot of close games, but I love my boys know we’ll always be there for each other. It’s a brotherhood we created - I’ve learned so much: respect, character, how I carry myself as a person. I just love it all.
“I think what’s great about football is everyone comes from different backgrounds, but everyone trains together and goes through the same thing so you know the guy next to you is working just as hard as you and you’re going to keep fighting, like this game, everyone kept fighting until the end.”

Sacred Heart Prep    21    7   14    7  – 49
Menlo School             0     0   14    0  – 14

First quarter
SHP: Tevita Moimoi 2 run (Ronan Donnelly kick), 9:46
SHP: Moimoi 12 run  (Donnelly kick), :4:37
SHP: Wilson Weisel 4 pass from Teddy Purcell (Donnelly kick), :02.8

Second quarter
SHP: Everett Banks 27 pass from Purcell (Donnelly kick)  :33

Third quarter
M: Jaden Richardson 8 pass from Elliot Kinder (Santi Garcia-Mendez kick), 8:27
SHP: J.P. Frimel 15 pass  from Purcell (Donnelly kick) 5:13
M:  Justin Sellers 14 pass from Kinder (Garcia-Mendez kick), 2:10
SHP: Moimoi 24 run (Donnelly kick), :28

Fourth quarter
SHP: Alejandro Torres 3 run (Donnelly kick) 6:12