There’s no doubt varsity football had plenty of motivation heading into the 98th annual Little Big Game. With a two-year losing streak and Central Coast Section (CCS) seeding on the line, the Panthers hoped to return to the days when they defeated San Mateo High School and kept the “Paw” for 13 years straight. But in a game fraught with ups and downs, the Panthers fell short again, and the Bearcats extended their streak with a victory — only their second on home turf in over 15 years — on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Unlike last year’s matchup, neither team held a major advantage during the game, but in the last four minutes of the game, the Bearcats drew ahead with a 10-point lead that sealed their 24-14 victory.
“To be honest, our kids showed up. We challenged them. They rose to the challenge. We just lost to a good football team,” head coach John Philipopoulos said.
The game got off to a rocky start for the Panthers, with a missed field goal on their first drive and a Bearcats touchdown with less than a minute left in the first quarter. By the beginning of the fourth, the Panthers held the Bearcats in a draw with a 14-14 score, thanks to two touchdowns from junior tight end and punter Danny O’Sullivan. Despite the Panthers’ efforts, a late Bearcats touchdown and field goal cemented their third consecutive Little Big Game victory.
The Panthers were effective defensively, recovering multiple fumbles and slowing the Bearcats’ offense. Unfortunately, their offense failed to capitalize on many of these turnovers, leaving them trailing.
“We had a couple opportunities on offense to convert. It didn’t happen. And, you know, that’s the name of the game. I thought our defense played extremely well,” Philipopoulos said.
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Senior conductor Oliver Canniffe throws his gloves off as he conducts the marching band.
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Junior receiver Danny O’Sullivan, one of the Panthers’ leaders in receiving touchdowns, holds onto the ball for the team’s first touchdown of the Little Big Game.
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Cheerleaders keep the crowd engaged during the first half of the game.
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Senior quarterback Nick Armstrong looks for a gap in San Mateo’s defense.
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Senior wide receiver Harrison Evars had one reception for 10 yards in the game.
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The student section reacts to a San Mateo touchdown.
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The cheer squad performs during the annual Little Big Game halftime show, despite initial fears of a lack of practice time leading up to the game.
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Senior Alice Huang dances to a mixture of songs during the halftime show.
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Junior receiver Will Armstrong, the Panthers’ leading receiver, catches a pass.
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Senior Mischa Fellner leads the cheer squad’s stunts during the halftime show.
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The marching band rallies the Panthers and keeps the energy high throughout the game.
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Senior wide receiver Harrison Evars receives a pass and charges down the field.
Senior offensive lineman Daniel Stack agreed the offense fell short, as they were often unable to take these turnovers and have successful drives.
“I think our offense, we could have played a little bit better. We got those two fumbles from our defense, which is really good, but overall, our offense could have played a lot better, block better and all that,” Stack said.
In his postgame speech, Philipopoulos encouraged the team to not let the loss drag them down as they prepare for playoffs. Junior wide receiver Will Armstrong said he believes that the team has a positive outlook as they finalize their season.
“We can move forward in a positive way, because we kind of held our own against [San Mateo],” Armstrong said. “They’re a really good football team, and we learned from this, and we just move on.”
Stack also said he is optimistic and adamant that the team must put the loss behind them as they head into playoffs.
“We’re just going to show that we’re ready,” Stack said. “This is not going to take us down, and we’re going to be able to go all the way down to the CCS championship.”
