SAN JOSE >> Aptos High’s football program — a five-time Central Coast Section champion — has a history of rising to another level in the postseason.

The Mariners, coming off a fourth-place finisher in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s powerful Gabilan Division, did just that in the Division III quarterfinals on Friday night.

Damian Suchil scored three touchdowns, one coming on a miraculous reception, and teammate Casey MacConnell added another highlight-reel score and recorded three interceptions, as the No. 7 seed Mariners stunned previously unbeaten and No. 2 Willow Glen 47-35 in front of their raucous home fans.

“We just played our hearts out, we really did,” Suchil said. “Every play, we just kept going. We didn’t stop once.”

It was an upset to most people, just not the Mariners (6-5 overall). Calprep.com’s computer generated prediction had No. 2 Willow Glen (10-1), despite competing in a B-rated division, prevailing 26-21 over the Mariners with a 61% chance of victory.

“I’m just so unbelievably happy that we were able to pull this off. An upset is amazing,” Suchil said. “We looked at numbers. People had us losing a lot. And it’s just so nice to come here, ruin their 10-0 record. If feels nice. It feels great.”

Aptos produced close to 500 yards on offense, and its defense made just enough plays to deliver first-year head coach Zach Hewett his first postseason win, while his mentor, legendary coach Randy Blankenship, watched from the sideline.

“We worked for this,” MacConnell said. “We practiced all week to get better, and this feels real good to come out with the win.”

The Mariners will play at No. 3 Palo Alto (6-5) in the semifinals on either Friday or Nov. 23. The time is TBA. The Vikings eliminated No. 6 Half Moon Bay 33-24 in the quarterfinals.

Aptos is hoping to maintain momentum. “In the postseason, that’s the only thing that matters,” Hewett said. “Get hot and stay hot.”

No. 1 Carmel (11-0) and No. 4 Hollister (5-6) will square off in the other semifinal.

The Rams, champion of the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa-Valley Division, finished with 393 yards on offense. They hadn’t passed much this season, but after Aptos jumped out to a big lead early, the Rams proved they were more than capable to air things out with their no-huddle attack.

Rams junior quarterback Aiden Akery rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown, and passed for three others. He completed 23 of 43 passes for 308 yards.

“It was a great experience to be able to play alongside these seniors in the playoffs,” Akery said. “We all worked our (butts) off to get here, and we really wanted this one.”

Aptos kept Akery on the run. Felix Valencia sacked Akery for a 13-yard loss. And teammate Elias Keith’s leaping, body-slam sack was negated by a face-mask penalty.

Akery staked the Rams to the early lead with his 34-yard scoring strike to Gavin Ferrero on a 4th-and-6 play, but Suchil knotted the score with his 1-yard plunge later in the first quarter.

Suchil tacked on a 19-yard scoring run as the Mariners capitalized on a botched punt and short field for the second of their four unanswered touchdowns.

Gavin McDonald scored on a 61-yard run, and teammate Michael Slaughter scored on an 81-yard run to put Aptos ahead 28-7.

After Slaughter’s score, Willow Glen’s Ben Mudgett returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score.

Aptos produced its fourth touchdown of the second quarter on MacConnell’s big run. One second he was wrapped up by the defense, and, seconds later, he broke free and streaked 60 yards down the right sideline for pay dirt with 2:20 left in the half.

“That second quarter we were looking to kinda pour it on them,” Hewett said. “I was like, ‘OK, are we turning this into a rout? Are we doing our thing?’ And they (the Rams) did a really good job of playing tough and sticking with it, giving us a game.”

Akery and the head-strong Rams remained relentless on the attack. They marched 69 yards on nine plays and trailed 25-22 at the break after Akery scored on a 12-yard run with 10 seconds left.

A total of 42 points were scored in the second quarter.

“This game was kinda off the rails for a little while there,” Hewett said.

Akery connected with Chriss Amann from 5 yards out for the lone score of the third quarter to pull within five points, 35-29.

“We knew we had something special,” said Akery, of his team’s fight. “Great group of guys. We pushed each other hard in the offseason, always picking each other up, and it was great to see everything really come together in the end.”

Aptos lost a fumble later in the third, but its defense held strong.

In the fourth, Aptos quarterback Ryan Solorio completed a 33-yard touchdown on his lone attempt. Suchil hauled in a twice-tipped short pass and sprinted the final 25 yards to make it a two-score game, 41-29.

Suchil never lost sight of the ball on the flukey reception.

“That was just shenanigans,” Hewett said of the catch.

MacConnell made two of his three interceptions — which gave him eight picks on the season — on successive Rams’ drives in the fourth quarter, and running back DeSean Gomez added a 48-yard scoring run to put the game out reach.

Aptos’ Xavier Maciel had an interception ripped from his grasp at the 1-yard line in the final minute by Rams receiver Spencer Bartlinski, who stepped into the end zone for the final score.

The Rams’ two-point conversion attempt, and ensuing onside kick were unsuccessful.