GAME OF THE WEEK
BRAWLEY — Brawley Union High senior running back Michael Moreno has no problem putting the Wildcats on his back and carrying them to victory, and that’s exactly what he did Friday as Brawley routed Southwest 38-0 in an Imperial Valley League matchup here.
Moreno dominated to the tune of 27 carries for 213 yards and three rushing touchdowns. A hard night for most backs, but just another night at the office for Moreno.
“I’ll do whatever my team needs me to do to help win the game,” said the senior who entered the game with 1,127 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on the season. “It’s not just me out there. My lineman make the big holes for me to run through and make it a lot easier for me.”
Brawley (3-0 in IVL, 7-1 overall) got on the scoreboard first, getting a 10yard touchdown run from Moreno with 1:39 left in the opening period to get the homecoming crowd in full throat. The touchdown capped an 11-play, 79yard drive that saw Moreno carry the ball eight times for 51 yards.
Midway through the second quarter the Wildcats’ Damian Reyes electrified the crowd with a stirring 78-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Brawley ahead 14-0.
The Brawley defense was dominating the Southwest (1-2 IVL, 3-5 overall) offense throughout the first half, allowing just one first down through the opening two quarters. Late in the half, Brawley increased its lead to 17-0 thanks to the foot of Ivan Jauregi who booted a 34yard field goal just before the halftime gun sounded.
On the Wildcats first possession of the second half, they marched on another 79-yard drive, this one taking nine plays before junior quarterback Jacob Ramirez found Nathan Torrez for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Jauregi kicked the point-after, and the Wildcats were up 24-0 midway through the third quarter.
“The team is still working hard, and we are just staying focused and looking to get this thing and win league,” said Ramirez, who was forced into action after the season-ending shoulder injury to senior quarterback Casey Kline. “It’s easy to have him (Moreno) behind me and be able to give it to him when we need yards. The big line helps a lot too.”
The big line delivered in the final quarter with two rushing touchdowns, a 1-yard plunge by Moreno on the first play of the fourth quarter and a nice 48-yard touchdown run from Moreno at the 8:44 mark of the quarter.
“I always say it, but I wouldn’t be anything without my linemen,” Moreno said. “On that final touchdown, they opened the hole, and then when I got to the next level I saw I could make a move or two and basically it was just instinct and out run them to the end zone.”
With an IVL matchup at Calexico next week, Moreno and the Wildcats know if they can get past the Bulldogs, it will set up a league-deciding Bell Game showdown with Central on Oct. 26.
“With the injury to Casey (Kline), Jacob has been doing a very good job. I’m proud of him,” Moreno said. “He’s been working hard and getting better every week, and we have two more weeks before the Bell Game and then the playoffs, and we just want to keep getting better every week.”
Ramirez finished with 69 yards passing and one touchdown.
“It was a big loss when Casey got hurt, but I’m just trying to go in there and make the right reads and the right plays,” Ramirez said.
Southwest hosts Imperial at 7 p.m. on Friday in IVL action.