For 11 seasons, Heritage has dominated Menifee Bowl

Heritage coach Andre Smith accepts the Menifee Bowl trophy from superintendent Grant Bennett in 2021.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

They call it the Menifee Bowl: Paloma Valley High, which opened as the city’s first high school in 1995, against crosstown rival Heritage, which has been playing football since 2008. This season’s game takes place Friday at 7 p.m. at Heritage.

The host Patriots have never lost this game, posting an 11-0 overall Menifee Bowl record over the Wildcats. This year, however, Heritage is 0-3 heading into this non-league game and Paloma Valley is 2-1. Will this be the year for the Wildcats?

We’ll find out Friday. Meanwhile, here’s a look at highlights of the 11 previous meetings.

Oct. 22, 2010: Heritage 37, Paloma Valley 7

The first Menifee Bowl marked Heritage’s first season in the Sunbelt League with the Wildcats. The Patriots took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Senior running back Scott Benson rushed for 115 yards and 3 touchdowns. Donovan Adams rushed for 127 yards and a score. Junior quarterback Chad Virgil passed for only 32 yards but ran for a touchdown. Paloma Valley quarterback Logan Tutwiler passed for 155 yards.

Oct. 21, 2011: Heritage 28, Paloma Valley 14

Heritage scored a touchdown in each quarter and allowed only single TDs in the second and fourth quarter to Paloma Valley. Junior running back Jamal Morrow ran for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns. Patriots sophomore running back Limihai Hifo rushed for 62 yards and a TD. Paloma sophomore quarterback Brent Boehm passed for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wildcats receiver Anthony Johnston caught 8 passes for 104 yards and a score.

Oct. 19, 2012: Heritage 24, Paloma Valley 13

Heritage scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory. Starring in his second consecutive Menifee Bowl, Jamal Morrow rushed for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns. Heritage controlled the ball for almost twice as long as Paloma Valley did. Wildcats quarterback Brent Boehm passed for 198 yards and a touchdown, with seven different receivers catching a pass.

Oct. 25, 2013: Heritage 48, Paloma Valley 25

Heritage players celebrate with the Menifee Bowl trophy after another win over Paloma Valley.

Running backs (and cousins) Limihai Hifo and Sione Takitaki led a strong Heritage ground game, running for 149 yards and 98 yards, respectively, with each scoring two touchdowns. Junior running back Isaiah Morrow added 88 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line was anchored by tackle Niko Gomez. Paloma Valley led 18-14 midway through the second quarter before Heritage took the lead for good on a 5-yard run by Takitaki. In his final Menifee Bowl appearance, Wildcats quarterback Brent Boehm passed for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Oct. 30, 2014: Heritage 42, Paloma Valley 21

Isaiah Morrow scores a touchdown, then blows a kiss to the Menifee Trophy, which was sitting behind the end zone.

Senior Isaiah Morrow ran for 146 yards and 5 touchdowns as the Patriots continued to build their reputation for having a punishing ground game. Quarterback Brett Virgil ran for 130 yards and passed for 79. The win was the Patriots' 19th in a row, the longest winning streak in the state at that time. It was also their 24th league victory against no losses all-time in the Sunbelt League. Paloma Valley quarterback Raine Pohaku Kaheaku-Paiva passed for 150 yards and ran for 146.

Oct. 30, 2015: Heritage 42, Paloma Valley 35

In the closest Menifee Bowl game to that point, Paloma Valley’s Demarco Prewitt scored on a 1-yard run to cut Heritage’s lead to a touchdown with 1:58 left in the game. An onside kick was unsuccessful and Heritage held on for the victory. Jalen Glover ran for 150 yards and 4 touchdowns for the winners, while quarterback Brett Virgil ran for 129 yards. Prewitt finished with 145 yards and 3 touchdowns. Playing in his first Menifee Bowl, Wildcats sophomore quarterback Chance Nolan passed for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Nov. 4, 2016: Heritage 35, Paloma Valley 13

Playing at home, Heritage built a 21-0 lead by halftime and stayed in control throughout the game. Senior running back Javier Luna had a monster game, running for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns. Junior Sherod White ran for 100 yards and a TD. Wildcats QB Chance Nolan passed for 261 yards in a losing cause.

Nov. 4, 2017: Heritage 41, Paloma 38

James Phillips heads toward the end zone for the winning touchdown, capping a wild finish.

This game featured a reunion of Heritage head coach Kraig Broach with his longtime assistant, Tom Tello, who had taken over as Paloma Valley head coach. In a wild finish to the closest Menifee Bowl ever, James Phillips scored the game-winner on a 43-yard run with 3:02 left in the game. Sherod White rushed for 247 yards and 4 touchdowns. In his final Menifee Bowl, Wildcats quarterback Chance Nolan passed for 339 yards and ran for 119 more. The win gave Heritage another undefeated league season and Paloma Valley finished 4-1 in league.

Oct. 12, 2018: Heritage 42, Paloma Valley 14

Ika Tuatala crosses the goal line with one of his three touchdowns in the 2018 game.

In a game shortened by a lightning storm, Ika Tuatala ran for 125 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Kenny Teter scored twice, including an interception return. The Heritage defense had trouble containing Paloma Valley quarterback Mason Carvalho, who rushed for 273 yards but was unable to get into the end zone.

Oct. 18, 2019: Heritage 37, Paloma Valley 29

In what turned out to be coach Kraig Broach’s last Menifee Bowl game, Kenny Teter ran for 224 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Heritage ground game. Adrian Robles added 123 yards and a touchdown. The teams traded scores until Teter scored on a 2-yard run for a 24-19 lead that the Patriots never surrendered. The game marked the teams’ first season in the Ivy League.

There was no Menifee Bowl in 2020 because of COVID-19

Oct 1, 2021: Heritage 47, Paloma Valley 10

In Andre Smith’s first Menifee Bowl as head coach, the Patriots improved their all-time record in the game to 11-0. In their last non-league before beginning Ivy League play, the Patriots took a 27-10 lead at halftime and never looked back. Heritage quarterback Hayden Lara passed for 145 yards and a touchdown. Senior Jason Chupany rushed for 112 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wildcats quarterback Noah Howard had trouble moving the ball against an aggressive Heritage defense. The loss dropped Paloma Valley’s record to 0-5 under first-year head coach Zach Dilley, a former Wildcat player.

Photos by Kristi Jo Aguirre