Portola senior running back Timmy Grettenberg breaks through a hole commanded by his offensive line on way for a long gain that would set Portola up for a late second quarter touchdown on Friday night. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone.)
In the second week of Omicron League play, Portola defeated Katella 38-0 on homecoming at Portola Friday night. The Bulldogs controlled both the pace of the game and field position battles all night, moving to 2-0 in league play.
The score spoke for itself on Friday. Despite not necessarily generating high yardage totals in the win, Portola (4-3 overall) was able to continue its CIF title defense with a stout defense and by routinely putting Katella’s own defense in tough field position.
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The Bulldogs started the night mirroring how the entire matchup would go. After recording a stop during Katella’s first drive, Portola drove down the field with ease, led by star running back Timmy Grettenberg. Grettenberg punched in a short score after accumulating 30 yards singlehandedly on the drive, getting the scoring started for the Bulldogs.
Portola never looked back.
Recording stop after stop and then securing solid field position after nearly all of their defensive possessions, the Bulldogs cruised to their 38-point victory.
Nearly everything that could go right for Portola did, and that notion was never more true than when Katella’s Brandon Baltazar intercepted a Portola pass at the one yard line just for the Bulldogs to record a safety on the very next play.
Despite controlling the tempo with a solid rushing attack led by Grettenberg, Portola did have some shot plays that got them downfield in a hurry, most notably a 41-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to Jamal Abdelkarim that effectively took Katella out of the game for good.
It was an all-around effort on offense, with Abdelkarim, Grettenberg, quarterback Orion Suttle, receiver Blaise Williams and tight end Carter Nguyen all making steady contributions for Portola.
Suttle passed for 142 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The win came without Grettenberg’s co-star at running back, Mayan Kim. Notably, Grettenberg wore Kim’s number two jersey as a tribute to his friend and teammate. Kim, out with an injury, was watching from home on Friday.
“I just wanted to come out here and ball out for him,” Grettenberg said postgame to OC Sports Zone, referencing Kim.
Grettenberg certainly made an impact Friday, totaling two touchdowns and 72 yards on the ground.
The win sets up a showdown with University next week, a game that could serve as a de facto play-in game for a CIF playoff berth for both squads. Portola also is a serious contender for the league title.
“[We need to] play disciplined football, right? We’re tightening up our execution, but at the end of the day, we want to make sure we’re staying true to our Bulldog values,” Portola Coach Peter Abe said postgame. “We need to make sure we lock in our discipline, to eliminate those silly penalties.”
Abe said that despite Portola coming off of its first ever CIF championship win in 2024, the team hasn’t mentioned the victory much.
With a win next Friday, the Bulldogs could be well on their way to having a chance to defend their title in 2025.
On Katella’s side, it was a tough showing for a team that was missing four of its five usual starters on the offensive line. Shut out for the second time of the season, nothing went right for Katella after Baltazar intercepted a Bulldog pass.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Katella Coach Dustin Hurley said postgame. “[Portola] is a very disciplined team.”
Despite the tough loss, Baltazar was a bright spot on both offense and defense, generating a majority of the Knights’ yardage. Katella (3-4, 0-2) even came into the second half with Baltazar serving as the quarterback in wildcat sets, running multiple read options and even throwing a goal line pass in the third quarter.
“The kid’s just a stud. He’s got pure heart. He does everything we ask him to do, never questions us,” Hurley said postgame about Baltazar. “[Baltazar is] one of the best athletes on the team.”
Despite falling to 0-2 in league play, Katella’s hopes for a CIF bid are not necessarily over. A strong finish in the Omicron League could position them for post season football, but each game moving forward will essentially serve as a do-or-die for the Knights.
Their final three-game set to end the season begins next week, when Katella heads home to face Woodbridge at Glover Stadium Thursday night.
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