Kaheaku-Paiva, Diaz Lead Paloma Valley to 35-25 Win

If this looks like the Paloma Valley Wildcats are coming right at you, imagine how the opposition felt Friday night. (Photos by Marci Price)

By Daniel Millhouse

When going into league play, it’s best to have momentum on your side.

Paloma Valley High School, fresh off a win last week against undefeated Tustin High, took down an undefeated Temecula Valley team Friday night, 35-25. The Wildcats head into a bye week with a 3-2 record before opening Sunbelt League play against Lakeside on Oct. 10.

"They were undefeated coming into our series and we were able to sweep them," coach Bert Esposito said after the game. "Probably my proudest thing is that all three levels were able to beat them."

The beginning of the game turned out to be a defensive battle, as the only score came from a 7-yard out route pass from junior quarterback Pohaku Kaheaku-Paiva (right) to senior receiver Jacob Diaz (below left) for his first of three touchdown receptions in the game. This gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

With the beginning of a new quarter, the Wildcats found themselves in a tight battle. The Golden Bears of Temecula Valley struck first two minutes into the second quarter when senior running back Joshua Cortez took the pigskin into the end zone to tie the game up on a 2-yard run.

Later in the quarter, the Wildcats risked going for it on fourth down on the Golden Bears’ 32-yard line. A 22-yard pass from Kaheaku-Paiva to Diaz kept Paloma Valley alive and gave the Wildcats first down with the ball on the 10-yard line. On the very next play, Kaheaku-Paiva tossed the ball to senior receiver David Hamilton to retake the lead, 14-7, with four minutes left to go in the half.

Just over two minutes later, Temecula Valley drove the ball, unfazed by the Wildcats’ lead. Senior quarterback Austin Fisher threw the ball to sophomore receiver Zach Simon, who initially bobbled the ball, but pulled it in at the goal line to tie up the game with his 25-yard reception.

Determined to go into halftime with the lead, Paloma Valley marched the ball down the field and on a 15-yard cross pass by Kaheaku-Paiva to Diaz left the Wildcats up 21-7 with 17 seconds left on the clock.

Coming back from halftime, the Golden Bears cut the lead down to 21-17 when sophomore kicker Spencer Stone chipped in a field goal from 28 yards out with a little over seven minutes left in the third quarter.

A minute later, with the ball on the Paloma Valley 26-yard line, Kaheaku-Paiva couldn’t find any open receivers and kept the ball, taking it 69 yards to Temecula Valley’s 5-yard line. On the very next play, he tossed the ball to Diaz in the corner of the end zone for Diaz’s third touchdown of the night, giving Paloma Valley a 28-17 lead.

Already having made comebacks in the fourth quarter twice this season, Temecula Valley put the pressure on Paloma Valley with seven minutes left in the game when Joshua Cortez dragged a couple of would-be tacklers into the end zone with him for a 2-yard touchdown rush. The Golden Bears rolled the dice when Austin Fisher hit senior tight end Griffin Doran to complete a 2-point conversion, keeping the score close at 28-25.

Kaheaku-Paiva then closed the door on the Golden Bears’ attempted comeback with a little over three minutes left in the game when he threw the ball to junior running back Demarco Prewitt (right) on the flat route for 5-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up for a final score of 35-25.

Leading the team to victory, Kaheaku-Paiva went 22 for 35 for 214 yards passing with 5 touchdown passes. He also led his team in rushing with 19 attempts for 138 yards. Diaz caught 6 of those passes for 55 yards and 3 touchdown receptions while leading his team in defense as well.

"I’m proud of how they were able to withstand the issues," Esposito said about his players. "They faced a lot of problems tonight and inconsistencies, but still found a way to win. Hey, winning ugly ... that’s good."

Paloma Valley linebacker Robert Solis (44) leads the defensive charge against a Temecula Valley ballcarrier.