San Juan Hills pulls off upset of San Clemente

The vitality at The Badlands Stadium on Friday night time was an excessive amount of for Mother Earth to deal with. She had to put a momentary stop to it.

Both units of gamers for San Juan Hills High and San Clemente have been fired up by a full crowd of rowdy followers, and it promised to be one of the best high college atmospheres of the season.

But then all people was compelled into the basketball health club after 5 minutes and seven seconds of play. For 90 minutes a lightning delay threatened to end the affair all together.

Nothing, however, might power these two groups and communities to give up on this night time. After the Norte fire tore through 570 acres across south Orange County, destroying many properties in the method, all people needed this. The matchup — which hadn’t been performed since 2021 — meant so a lot to both the Stallions and Tritons.

“Between the white lines, for 48 minutes, I expect nothing less than war,” San Juan Hills head coach Robert Frith said before kickoff.

It was San Juan Hills (8-1) that in the end got here through with an 16-0 upset victory, which places it on the brink of the Alpha League title before next week’s big matchup against Mission Viejo.

This was the Stallions’ first win against San Clemente (7-1) since 2015, and doubtless knocked the Tritons out of rivalry for the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. That felt fairly candy for Arthur Tuverson, who gave a little smack speak to the San Clemente pupil part after the sport, taunting them about the protection’s shutout.

It was the junior defensive back’s 52-yard landing interception that sealed the victory. As he ran it down the sphere, the noise in the stadium reached pre-delay ranges.

“I knew they were in desperation mode and needed to pass the ball,” Tuverson said after the win. “I made the play. I was waiting for it.”

Both groups performed with backup quarterbacks as Preston Beck for San Clemente and Eiler King for San Juan Hills have been out because of accidents.

The Stallions turned to senior Parker Armstrong, who began two years at Scripps Ranch High in San Diego. He completed the night time finishing 17 for 19 passes for 172 yards, doing enough to handle a low scoring contest and help his workforce not flip the ball over for the seventh sport operating.

The Tritons gave freshman Koston James his first style of varsity motion, but it was a robust sport to come into as he completed 11-for-16 passing for 60 yards with two interceptions.

San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz knew that factors can be at a premium in this matchup.

“We’re going to have to play good defense and not allow the big play,” Ortiz said pregame.

Frith called it a energy of wills. San Clemente let gave up only 20 dashing yards, but San Juan Hills’ two interceptions and swarming defensive position swung the sport.

Late in the third quarter, San Clemente tried a flea flicker and San Juan Hills was on James the second he obtained the ball back. It was exemplary of the home workforce’s sustained vitality during a long and tiring night time.

San Clemente often ran two-way star Jaxson Rex out of the Wildcat formation, letting the Brigham Young commit’s athleticism take middle stage. Quite a bit was put on the gifted senior’s shoulders to get the offense going. He completed with 5 catches for 42 yards and 32 dashing yards.

His counterpart, Texas State commit Luke Frith, completed with 4 catches for 48 yards.

Frith famous pregame that particular groups would have a big function to play in the night time. He was right, as San Juan Hills senior kicker Trevor Koko knocked through two area targets in the first half, and then nailed a season-long 44-yarder to put the Stallions up 9-0 in the third quarter. San Clemente missed a area aim when down 3-0.

Penalties also harm the Tritons as they dedicated 10 for 105 yards in the workforce’s first loss of the season after last week’s sport against Mission Viejo was cancelled because of the Norte fire.

Before the sport, first responders have been honored and both coaches made sure to categorical their gratitude for the swift and efficient work of those who protected the communities.

The coaches on both sidelines wore Orange County Fire Authority hats as a token of gratitude.

“[The hats] are a sign that it is sometimes bigger than football, and a lot of programs could take note of that,” Ortiz said.