Despite strong second half, Paloma suffers 48-28 loss
Gavin Garcia recovers a fumble for Paloma Valley in Friday night's game. (Photo by Rick Rowell) By Paige Mendez, Correspondent The Pal...
By Paige Mendez, Correspondent
The Paloma Valley football team lost its last pre-league game, 48-28, to Orange Vista Friday night.
After a 14-0 lead for the Coyotes at the end of the first quarter, Paloma had a quick answer just 10 seconds into the second quarter with a long run by Jayden Epps into the end zone. That one-score deficit would only last for 30 seconds, however, as Orange Vista returned the kickoff for another touchdown of their own to bring the score to 21-7.
A punt to end the next Wildcat drive put the ball back in the Coyotes’ possession and a quick six plays later they found the end zone again.
Paloma had its first defensive forced punt on the next Orange possession, but neither team was able to score again in the half, the Coyotes going into the locker room with a 28-7 lead.
That was when Paloma coach Juan Merida said he had to be really frank with his team.
“I told them they needed to weather the storm. I said [Orange Vista] does a great job and they have guys and size,” said Merida. “I just asked them to keep playing for each other. I said, ‘We’ve got 24 minutes, how do we want to finish this game?’”
The Wildcats’ answer was evidenced in the start of the second half with their own recovery of an onside kick.
Quarterback Brady Nelson found Arthur Clemons on the first down following that kick recovery for a 19-yard gain, then three plays later found Jefferey Blalock for a 28-yard gain to get into the red zone.
Clemons was the one who caught the pass and ran it into the end zone five plays later for a Wildcat touchdown. But Orange Vista again had an answer in a quick drive of six plays into the end zone.
Then just two minutes later after they forced a Paloma punt, the Coyotes completed a 55-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 42-14.
Paloma still wanted to fight, though. Keegan Kelley, a senior running back who contributed over 80 yards on the night, was a crucial part of the next Wildcat drive, putting up 21 of his overall yards at that time, leading to a touchdown pass from Nelson just two minutes into the fourth quarter.
“It felt good to do that for my team. I felt like I needed to,” Kelley said. “It was nice to pick up our momentum like that.”
The Coyotes scored again on their next possession in just three plays, then forced a Paloma punt on the following possession. But the Wildcats forced a fumble from Orange in their first play of that possession and converted it into a touchdown.
Paloma was down 48-28 right when their momentum seemed it was at its height, but the clock doesn’t run on momentum, so they ran out of time.
Merida said he had no regrets from what he saw in the second half.
“I can’t fault their effort and the grit that I see from them in that second half,” said Merida. “They grew up there in that second half. They fought from snap to whistle every time.”
Isaac Williams, a senior defensive back for the Wildcats, said he learned that grit in practice.
“We’re a resilient team. We’re drilling these things in practice every week,” said Williams. “Even when we’re sick, we still give it all we’ve got.”
He added that he was playing after just one practice he could attend this week due to being sick, playing nearly every defensive snap of the game with key coverage on Vista receivers in spite of a notable height difference.
Clemons, who totaled over 80 yards on the night, said the second half was no surprise for him.
“This was expected. We schemed through the week and I knew we could make plays and I’m happy we did,” said Clemons. “We go against good football teams and we compete no matter who they are.”
The Wildcats’ next competitor will be Poly High School -- their first league matchup -- next Saturday at 7 p.m. as they look to improve on their 3-3 record.
Brady Nelson takes advantage of a block to find some running room Friday. (Photo by Rick Rowell)
