Varsity boys football came out on top against Silver Valley High School in their California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) first-round match Friday, Nov. 3.
The Silver Valley Trojans began on the 10-yard line and forced themselves through the Mustangs’ defensive lineup in the first quarter. However, the Mustangs held their ground as the Trojans turned the ball over. Quarterback senior Noah Covarrubias connected with wide receiver junior Harland Fluker on a 35-yard pass for the first touchdown of the game.
“While we held an early lead, the game had its ups and downs. Our team worked hard to keep the intensity up, and we kept pushing through,” Covarrubias said. “This game had a heavy reliance on our line and our running backs. I appreciate how they played hard all night, putting us in good positions to succeed all game.”
Kicking off the second quarter, the Mustangs continued pressuring the Trojans defense. Covarrubias made a fake pass to running back senior Demetrius Stampley, gaining a 15-yard lead for the Mustangs. With a handoff from Covarrubias, Stampley sprinted into the endzone, scoring another touchdown, 14-0.
“In between that [second] quarter, I felt good. The [game] was a hard run with great blocking and defense in general,” Stampley said. “I also have to give credit to my [linemen] for helping me [score] that touchdown to bring the overall score to 14-0.”
At the end of the second quarter, the Trojans adjusted their offense, switching the game’s momentum. The Mustangs received three consecutive holding fouls, allowing the Trojans to push to the 30-yard line and then into the endzone, 14-8. With an early fumble by the Mustangs, the Trojans recovered the ball, wide running past the 20-yard line for a touchdown, 14-16. Walnut regained 10 yards after a penalty flag was thrown at the Trojans, placing them in a position for a touchdown to bring the score 21-16, concluding the third quarter.
“[Our team] was scared when Silver Valley was up 16-14. However, when halftime ended, our team came together and found our confidence,” linebacker senior Dylan Perez said. “The kickoff after the field goal where we forced a fumble was the nail in the coffin for me since the Trojans knew it was over for them at that moment.”
Into the fourth quarter, Covarrubias made an early fake handoff, short-throwing the ball to Stampley. The ball in the Mustangs’ possession, Stampley pushed along the line, gaining an 8-yard lead. After a timeout from both teams, Covarrubias again short-passed to Stampley, who pressured his way into the endzone, ending the game 27-16 Walnut.
“Even though we had a few slip-ups, we managed to fix our mistakes and secure the win. The crowd was awesome, with everyone cheering us on, and the ‘Defense!’ chants gave us a moral boost,” kicker junior Landon Heyman said. “In preparation for our next game, I think we have some minor issues to tweak, but overall, it was a real grind out here today.”
