Menlo News October 15, 2021

Football moves to 7-0 after win over Aragon

Beltran seven TDs - five passing; Knights D stops Dons

10.15.2021 – The Menlo School football team pulled away as the lone undefeated team in league after a 48-7 win at Aragon on Friday.
Hillsdale took a one-point win over Capuchino, leaving Menlo atop the division with two games remaining.
Menlo extended its win streak to seven against no losses, and at 3-0, extended an unbeaten PAL-Ocean streak from last year’s shortened season.
Not only did senior quarterback Sergio Beltran pass for 339 yards and five touchdowns against Aragon, he ran for 114 more yards and two rushing TDs. He has thrown for 300-plus yards for the third time this season, and has 35* touchdown passes.
Aragon got on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter. The Knights scored right before the half when Robby Enright’s punt return put them in excellent position at the 40. Beltran delivered a pass to Jack Giesler, who ran down the right side, beat a couple defenders then did a Fosbury Flop over another defender for the touchdown.
Enright finished with six receptions for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Beltran threw to five other receivers, completing 21 of 34 passes with no interceptions.
The Knights trailed 7-6 entering the second quarter, before junior Eron Chen would strip the ball from the Dons, then recovered the fumble. Aragon was held to 158 rushing yards.  

The Knights took the lead for good when Beltran found a clear lane for a 17-yard touchdown run.
The Knights defense stopped the Dons on their first possession when Dons running back Solomone Hoakfonu took all but one of eight plays, and ran down to the Knights’ 13. The Knights recovered a fumble, stopping Aragon but the Dons came back to score when Alan Tanielu scooped up a blocked punt for a touchdown.
Menlo’s Ty Richardson made the most of the efficiency of the run defense, making his first of three interceptions right before the half. He added another after Aidan Housenbold made a sack to start the third quarter. Menlo would capitalize with Beltran running in for a score from 16 yards. A successful onside kick gave Menlo the ball again and junior Jake Bianchi handed off to Beltran, who found Enright for an 11-yard score.
Richardson would make his third pick on the next Dons’ possession with 4:12 left in the game.
“We knew they were a heavy run team,” Richardson said. “We had to hunker down, stop the run and force them to pass, and that’s pretty much how the interceptions came.”
The Knights will look to carry on the momentum when they travel to Capuchino next Friday night.
“There’s a constant flow of excitement each week: we’re excited to go to practice, excited for games, and excited to play together as a team,” Richardson said. “We’re really bonded and you can see that in the results, and we hope we can continue to do that.”


Menlo 6 22 13 7 - 48
Aragon 7 0 0 0 - 7


First quarter
A – Alan Tanielu blocked punt, 13 run (Cole Smith kick) 5:16
M – Jack Giesler 34 pass from Sergio Beltran (pass failed) :34

Second quarter
M – Beltran 17 run (Ty Richardson pass from Beltran) 8:57
M – Cort Halsey 6 pass from Beltran (Ross Muchnick kick) 4:25
M – Carter Jung 56 pass from Beltran (Muchnick kick), 1:30Third quarter
M – Beltran 16 run (no kick, bad snap) 6:56
M – Enright 31 pass from Beltran from Jake Bianchi (Muchnick kick) 5:11


Fourth quarter
M – Enright 1 pass from Beltran (Muchnick kick), 7:45