Menlo blanks turnover-plagued Jefferson

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Nov 10, 2007 | by John Baker

ATHERTON -- Four first-quarter turnovers made it apparent that Jefferson High would have a hard time moving the ball against Menlo School in its effort to avoid a winless season. Just how difficult was soon seen as the Knights beat the visiting Indians 40-0 in a non- league game at Menlo College.

Menlo School (7-3) took advantage of turnovers to get two first- quarter touchdown passes, including one each from Travis Boyce (26 yards to Jack Mosbacher) and Matt Corley (15 yards to Jerry Rice) .

Jefferson (0-10) never got the ball past the Menlo 20-yard line, and only really moved the ball against the Menlo reserves in the fourth quarter, after referees instituted a running clock. Leon Phillips led the Indians with 75 yards on nine carries, all in the second half. Fabian Florentini had 69 yards on 28 carries for Jefferson, and finished the season with 1,020 yards on 187 carries.

With a three-quarterback rotation, the Knights scored twice more in the second quarter. Boyce connected with R.J. Carver on a 6-yard scoring strike early in the quarter, and Corley threw a 5-yard TD pass to Matt Bouret just before halftime.

Mosbacher scored his second TD for Menlo on a 37-yard run less than a minute into the third quarter, and Corley rounded out the scoring with a 9-yard keeper with 4:55 left in the third quarter.