The Montgomery Aztecs are 2-0 and are looking to stay undefeated by posting a win over the visiting Orange Glen Patriots in Friday’s homecoming clash. A loss to the Patriots last year likely kept the Aztecs from qualifying for the San Diego Section Division III playoffs.
But this is a new season and Orange Glen (2-1) will be facing a revitalized Montgomery team coming off last Friday’s 52-33 trouncing of the visiting Kearny Komets.
Friday’s homecoming game will also double as the Otay Mesa school’s 40th anniversary celebration.
Kick off is 7 p.m.
“I was really happy with our offensive effort,” Aztec head coach Julio Alcala said in reviewing last Friday’s win over Kearny. “First and foremost we had our quarterback Jordan Lippman back. We lost our quarterback in the second half of the Kick Off Classic with a concussion. He missed our first game. He didn’t play. It was nice to have him back out there. He did a nice job. He scored a rushing touchdown and also passed for a touchdown. I was happy to see him doing what he does best.”
Diego Rodriguez also did what he does best, which is to run the football. Rodriguez rushed 20 times for 235 yards and scored four touchdowns, including one on an 85-yard punt return, to key last week’s victory. Overall, Montgomery racked up 344 rushing yards on 40 attempts while adding 65 passing yards for 409 yards in total offense.
Manny Quiambao rushed seven times for 48 yards and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Lippman. Mario Garcia scored on a three-yard run while place-kicker Joey Gonzalez split the uprights on five of six PAT kicks and booted a 32-yard field goal.
The Aztecs scored seven touchdowns in the game. Montgomery led 31-13 at halftime.
“We ran the ball well,” Alcala said. “Having Diego back this year is uplifting to the whole team. Offensively, we’re hitting on all cylinders right now.”
That might be an understatement.
The Aztec defense wasn’t half bad, either.
The Komets (0-3) were blitzed for five sacks (one each by Daniel Padilla, Rodriguez, Irving Lopez, Joel Castro, Ramon Parra and Rodriguez), lost two fumbles (recovered by Padilla and Parra) and were intercepted once (by Juan Espinoza).
Defensive stops were spread around, with Quiambao, Padilla, Lopez, Castro and Parra each credited with four tackles.
Quiambao also had a 90-yard kick-off return called back because of a penalty.
The Patriots lost, 41-21, at Point Loma in the season opener and have captured back-to-back wins in their last two games, defeating Crawford (51-0) and Clairemont (35-30) by a combined margin of 86-30.
“Orange Glen has some pretty good football players,” Alcala said. “Their No. 88 (senior halfback Chris Locher) is as tough a player as I’ve seen in the county. Their whole team seems to center on him.”
That might also be said about Montgomery’s Rodriguez, who ranks among the section leaders with 463 rushing yards in two games and has scored eight touchdowns (seven rushing).
