Ten memories from '22 season
The 2022 high school football season provided countless memories, including historic championships, remarkable finishes, coaching milestones and great individual performances.
Staff writer Eric-Paul Johnson picks 10 things that he will remember from the season.
10. TITLE DROUGHTS ENDED >> It was a historic season for four Inland programs as Great Oak, Murrieta Mesa, Rialto and Temecula Prep all won league titles for the first time. A handful of other programs ended lengthy league championship droughts, as well. Paloma Valley claimed its first league title since 2009, while Hemet captured its first since 2006. San Bernardino’s title was the program’s first since 1999. Garey’s championship was the first for the program in at least three decades.
9. IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING >> It did not take long for Kraig Broach to transform the Heritage football program into a perennial powerhouse, and Broach is looking to do the same at Liberty. The Bison finished their first varsity season with a 9-2 record and placed second in the Mountain Pass League despite not having any seniors on the roster. By contrast, Heritage went 4-6 and did not make the playoffs in its first varsity campaign. Expect big things from this program in the near future.
8. GETTING THEIR KICKS >> The Inland area has a long tradition of standout female kickers, and Don Lugo’s Mackenzie Aguilera and Murrieta Mesa’s Aubrey Olson added their names to that list. Aguilera made eight field goals this season, the second most by a female kicker in Inland history and second most by an area kicker this season. Olson made four field goals for Murrieta Mesa this year, none bigger than the 31-yarder she booted to help the Rams score a 10-7 victory over Temecula Valley.
7. RAMS FINISH ALONE ON TOP >> Ramona’s league championship drought was not long, as the Rams finished in a bizarre five-way tie for first place in the River Valley League standings in 2017. However, the last time the program claimed an outright league title was 1988. The coach of the Rams that season? The late guru of the doublewing offense, Don Markham. Ramona opened league play with a win over Hillcrest, knocked off defending champ Norte Vista and finished the job by beating Patriot.
6. A FIRST FOR TWO BROTHERS >> Greg and Eric Zomalt found themselves on opposite sidelines for the first time when Orange Vista faced Rancho Verde for the Ivy League title in the regular-season final. The Zomalts played together at Canyon Springs and Cal and have been on the same coaching staffs for more than 20 years. Big brother earned first bragging rights, as Greg’s Orange Vista squad rolled to a 51-14 win. The schools likely will remain in the same league, so future Zomalt Bowls are expected.
5. COACHES REACH MILESTONE >> Ken Batdorf and Kurt Bruich are among the most respected coaches in the Inland area, and both reached the 200win milestone in 2022. Batdorf is the area’s longest-tenured coach with 29 seasons under his belt at Norte Vista. He hit the milestone when the Braves beat Western Christian in September. Bruich scored his 200th win when Citrus Valley beat his former program, Redlands East Valley, in October. Dick and Kurt Bruich are the first father-son duo in state history to win at least 200 games.
4. A RECORD-BREAKING SEASON >> San Jacinto junior receiver Dillon Gresham was among the Inland players who had breakout seasons in 2022. Gresham led the nation with 2,051 yards receiving and 31 touchdown catches in helping the Tigers claim the program’s first CIF Southern Section championship and win a CIF State regional title. Gresham broke the Inland record for most touchdown catches in a season, and his yardage total is third-most in area history. What will Gresham do for an encore in 2023?
3. TOUCHDOWN AFTER TOUCHDOWN >> A high-scoring affair was expected when Norco and Murrieta Valley squared off in league play, but few could have predicted a final score of 77-76. It became the highest-scoring game in CIF Southern Section history, breaking the previous mark of 144 points (Bloomington 82, Artesia 62 in 1994). The teams combined for 1,370 yards of offense and 22 touchdowns in a game that went to overtime and finally was decided when Norco got the decisive two-point conversion.
2. A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES >> With 20 minutes remaining in the game, Etiwanda’s chances of winning a
CIF Southern Section Division 5 title were slim and none ... and slim was close to heading to the parking lot. However, the Eagles pulled off one of the most stunning comebacks in championship-game history, erasing a 35-9 deficit in the third quarter and scoring the final 21 points of the game to pull off the improbable 4542 win over St. Francis. The victory brought the program its first section championship in 32 seasons.)
1. BUSINESS IS FINISHED >> California School for the Deaf-Riverside garnered national headlines last season with a historic run to the CIF Southern Section finals. The ending was heartbreaking, however, as Faith Baptist rolled to a 74-22 win. After the game, Cubs coach Keith Adams said his team would be back to take care of unfinished business. And that they did. CSDR earned a rematch with Faith Baptist and cruised to a 80-26 victory to win the school’s first section title. Trevin Adams led the way with a remarkable performance that included six touchdown runs, two touchdown passes and two interception returns for touchdowns.
McNair
Knight