Paloma beats Lakeside for second straight league title

Brady Nelson had another big game Friday, passing for two touchdowns and running for one. (Staff photo)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Senior Night was all smiles at Paloma Valley High, where the Wildcats used touchdowns by four senior players and an overall team effort to beat Lakeside 46-14 Friday night, capping off their second consecutive league championship.

Quarterback Brady Nelson passed for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 49 yards and another TD as the Wildcats (7-3 overall) wrapped up the Sunbelt League title. Damian Ramirez ran for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns, Keegan Kelley ran for 45 yards and a TD, and Justin Dean returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown.

After a scoreless first quarter, it was all Paloma Valley against the winless Lancers. Nelson ran 8 yards for a score on the first play of the second period for a 7-0 lead. And even though Lakeside scored on an 83-yard pass play moments later and took an 8-7 lead, the Lancers weren’t heard from again until a touchdown in the final minutes, with a running clock and Paloma’s second-string defense in the game.

Ramirez ran 4 yards for a score, Kelley scored on a 1-yard run, Ramirez scored again on a 22-yard run and Nelson passed 9 yards to Arthur Clemons for a score and a 32-8 halftime lead. As the seniors celebrated with their families after the game, coach Juan Merida put it all into perspective.

“I’m so grateful for the seniors that stuck around and bought into the system and the vision I had for the program,” said Merida, who took over as head coach this season. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of young men.

“It’s always bittersweet to get to the end of the season. Some of these guys have a limited time left in their football careers. I just hope we get another win after next week and keep going.”

The Wildcats will find out on Sunday who their opposition will be for next week’s first round of the CIF playoffs. They will head into the postseason with the momentum of a big victory that followed a frustrating 28-27 nonleague loss to Hemet the week before.

“I just told them we made a lot of mistakes last week,” Merida said about his message to the players going into the Lakeside game. Taking nothing away from Hemet, but we felt like we gave away a game we should’ve had. We were really focused this week on the details of what we do, finishing plays, forgetting mistakes and moving on. I thought we did that tonight.”

Lakeside had the ball to lead off the third quarter, but the Lancers’ possession didn’t last long. On the fifth play of the series, Paloma Valley’s Dean picked off a deflected pass and showed his sprinter’s speed down the far sidelines, racing 50 yards for a score.

The Wildcats defense, anchored by linebacker Jacob Hornbeak, held the Lancers to four plays on the next series, but Lakeside got the ball back after a Paloma fumble. Still, Lakeside couldn’t move the ball and Paloma took over at midfield.

The Wildcats’ methodical march down the field was capped off with an acrobatic catch by Ayden Harrison, who leaped to make a one-handed grab in the end zone for a 7-yard TD. That gave Paloma Valley a 46-8 lead and led to a running clock to start the fourth quarter.

Merida had his usual amount of praise for Nelson, who has passed for more than 2,800 yards this season.

“He’s got a great command on the offense and keeps getting better every week. I wish I had him for another season,” Merida said. “All the backs ran well and the O line opened up holes for them. They’re just fun to watch.”