It took about three hours, 101 points, a comeback and a big fourth quarter to figure out which team would move on to the CIF Division II State Championship Bowl Game. In the end, it was
Redlands East Valley (Calif.).
Sheldon Croney, Ridgeview
File photo by Larry Aronat
The Wildcats' 59-42 victory over
Ridgeview (Bakersfield, Calif.) in the Southern California Regional Bowl Game was a close one at the end of the third quarter, as Redlands East Valley held a 38-34 advantage. Then the Wildcats (14-1) turned on the offense and earned a trip to Carson's StubHub Center, where they will face Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) Saturday at 4 p.m.
In fact, they scored the final five touchdowns of the night at Citrus Valley High in Redlands to put it away.
It was a 10-7 Redlands East Valley lead with less than four minutes remaining in the first half, then things went nuts for a while. When the dust settled after about 3:09 had passed, it was 28-24 Ridgeview (12-2).
The only scoring in the first quarter was a 22-yard field goal from
John Hilfer and the Wildcats had a 3-0 lead.
Taimon Faimalo scored on a 20-yard run to make it 10-0 but Ridgeview answered back with a 59-yard by
Sheldon Croney that made it 10-7. Faimalo made it in from 3 yards out on fourth down with 3:09 left in the first half and it was 17-7.
The Wolf Pack answered back 19 seconds later with a 70-yard connection from
Lawrence White to
Jaleyn Prevost. Then they kicked off and
Joey Harman took the kickoff back 98 yards for a score to make it 24-14 REV.
Ridgeview got a 3-yard scoring run from
Jamar Moya with 1:15 left in the half and then scored again with 44 seconds left when White found
Somaan Iqbal from 8 yards out.
Armando Herrera, Redlands East Valley
File photo by Jeanine Brock
That 28-24 lead ballooned to 34-24 when Croney scored from 5 yards out to start the third quarter's scoring. But then REV went on its huge run, partly due to Ridgeview quarterback White leaving the game on a stretcher due to injury.
Malik Lovette made it 34-31 Ridegview with a 1-yard run with 4:25 left in the third and 85 seconds later, Harman ran in from 43 yards out to give his team the lead, 38-34.
Sophomore quarterback
Armando Herrera was doubtful to play after a separated shoulder injury during the Southern Section playoffs, but he was effective, and he found Lovette for an 89-yard score on a short pass. Faimolo ran in another one, then Ridgeview got a touchdown from Croney before the Wildcats finished it off with a scoring run for Harman.
The end of the game featured a bit of controversy, according to Twitter reports from reporters at the game. Redlands East Valley players were instructed not to shake hands with their opponents due to some alleged cheap shots late in the contest.
Redlands East Valley will make its first trip to the state championship game.
This story is based of Twitter posts from Bakersfield Californian Sports Editor Zach Ewing, @zewing.
