Scots beat rival Bulldogs
Bulldogs, 52-12
CALEXICO — Since 2014, the Vincent Memorial High School football team has been working toward returning to a CIF championship game.
The Scots came close in 2015 before completely missing the postseason in 2016. They plan to change that this year with a roster full of veteran talent that put in the work during the offseason.
So far, the team has seen that work pay off, with Friday night marking one of the Scots’ most noteworthy victories just three weeks into the season after they defeated Calexico High School 52-12 in this week’s Game of the Week.
“I thought [we] played very well,” said Scots Head Coach David Wong. “[We] were determined and focused and completed what we set out to do. We prepared all week for [today] and we executed on almost every play.”
The Scots wasted no time getting on the board after a very early rushing touchdown gave them a 7-0 lead after the Adolfo Perez PAT.
Perez finished a perfect 6-6 on PAT attempts, showcasing another strong component of Vincent Memorial’s game.
“He’s definitely our best kicker and I think he’ll break some Vincent Memorial kicking records this year,” Wong said. “He’s only a junior, but he’s been our kicker for the last three years, so we’re very confident with him and we trust him.”
Also lighting up the scoreboard at Ward Field was the Scots’ senior quarterback Eduardo Valenzuela, who threw four touchdown passes on the night and also rushed for another.
“We saw this as a rivalry game or a city championship game,” Valenzuela said. “It was tough in the beginning, but we were able to come out with the win. This is a very important win for us. We’ve always felt like the younger brother in Calexico, but tonight we proved how strong we are.”
The Scots scored on their first two possessions of the game to go up 14-0 with 5:27 left in the first quarter.
The team’s defense kept Calexico out of the end zone, which was vital as the Scots suffered a few offensive hiccups in the second quarter of the game including an interception and a fumble.
The defense also gave the Scots a 16-0 cushion after recording a safety that came just before a 56-yard Jorge Villalobos rush that led the Bulldogs to the red zone.
Villalobos scored on a one-yard spurt and after the failed PAT, the score was 16-6.
Not to be outdone, the Scots snuck in one more touchdown before the end of the first half to go into the break with a 23-6 lead.
In the second half, the Scots showcased their running game with help from Daniel Rizzo, whose big carries lead Vincent Memorial to another touchdown and two-point conversion to go up 31-12 as the game went into the fourth and final quarter.
The Bulldogs tallied their second score of the game on a striking 47yard play from Villalobos to Manuel Segura, but could not convert on the two-point conversion attempt.
In the fourth quarter, it was all Vincent Memorial as the Scots scored 21 unanswered points and perhaps saw a small chip fall off their shoulder.
Wong agreed while the win was great for the program, it was back to business on Monday.
“This definitely gives us some confidence going into the middle of the season because our next three games are going to be tough,” Wong said. “We’ve got San Ysidro, Santana and Central [Union High].”
All tough matchups, yet necessary in the Scots’ quest to win a CIF-San Diego Section Div. V title this year, noted Wong.
With the result, the Scots move to 3-0 on the season, while Calexico falls to 0-2.