Orange Vista proves to be too much for Paloma, 41-12

Paloma Valley's Jayden Epps takes down Orange Vista quarterback Khalil Abdul-aziz. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 
By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

Paloma Valley High ended non-league football play Friday night against Orange Vista with a 41-12 loss on the road. The Wildcats (4-2) were stumped by mistakes and what head coach Zach Dilley calls inexperienced play.

With a defense that held the unbeaten Coyotes scoreless in the first quarter, Paloma was battling what looked like an evenly-matched game until the Wildcats let Sire Gaines take a 69-yard run to the end zone on Orange Vista’s first possession of the second quarter. Gaines, who had 229 yards total on the night, accounted for half of his team’s touchdowns.

The Wildcats had an answer for that first touchdown in a drive started by Stephen Gallegos that was finished by Noah Howard and a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brady Nelson. But with a blocked extra point, those six points would be the last they put on the board until the very last play of the night.

The Coyotes scored just six plays after that on a run from Gaines and again with just 11 seconds left in the half on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Khalil Abdul-Aziz. Although they fumbled the kickoff return and turned it over, the Wildcats had a chance to answer with an interception by Erik Brooks in the end zone. Just after he caught it, however, the officials blew the whistle to call it down. They later explained to coaches that it was inadvertent, which would lead to the Wildcats giving up what Dilley said could have likely been a pick-six.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but that’s one of the fastest kids on the field,” said Dilley of the interception. “But six points doesn’t win this game for us.”

It would have put them within reach going into a tough second half, though.

Tough, in big part, due to little mistakes that added up against them. It started with the kickoff to begin the half that was recovered by Orange Vista after Paloma receivers seemed to forget it was live. The Coyotes scored just four plays later.

After a Paloma fumble on the second play of the next drive, defense had to take over again, but Orange Vista powered through and scored on six plays.

Brayan Cortez, a captain and defensive leader, said his team’s performance on defense can only mean so much at the end of the night.

“We try to have our intensity at its fullest coming out the gate but that’s as much as we can do,” said Cortez. “We can’t convert that to anything on offense.”

However, Cortez certainly did try to convert his effort on offense and special teams, as well. Having played all three sides of the game, he ended the night with over 70 rushing yards.

The last drive of the night saw another Paloma touchdown after a 55-yard run from Jake Nelson and a 7-yard touchdown catch for Howard.

Going forward, the Wildcats will start league play next weekend. Cortez and coaches are hoping that before then their team will take practice a little more seriously.

“We mess around in practice a lot and I just let them know that’s got to stop now,” Cortez said.

“That’s something that always needs to be taken seriously and that needs to sink in fast,” Dilley said. “We’ve got league coming up and we can’t afford to drop any more games.”

League play will start next Friday when the Wildcats are home against Riverside Poly.

KJ Misini finds some running room during the Wildcats' game at Orange Vista. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 Stephen Gallegos gets out in front of an Orange Vista defender Friday night. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 Noah Howard leaps to make a touchdown catch for the Wildcats. (Photo by Rick Rowell)

 Aaron Young Jr. refuses to give up while making a tackle for Paloma Valley. (Photo by Rick Rowell)