Just two games are left in the shortened 2020-21 high school football season and the Sweetwater Red Devils now have a bead on winning those two games to emerge as Metro-Pacific League champions after getting past a huge test in last Friday’s game against visiting Castle Park.
The Devils came out on top, 26-13, but the game seemed much closer than what the scoreboard read. Two of Sweetwater’s touchdowns were set up by defensive plays.
The hosts led just 6-0 at halftime.
“It was definitely a tough one all around,” admitted SuHi head coach Ervin Hernandez, whose team improved to 3-0 on the season, 1-0 in league play. “They have a game-breaker in that No. 4 (Erik Hernandez). We practiced all week with our keys on defense and containing him. We did a solid job for three quarters until he broke lose in the fourth quarter.
“Good thing our offense began to hit on all cylinders in the second half while Carlos Rodriguez had a great strip and fumble recovery for a touchdown that gave us some breathing room. Our kids continue to compete every day in practice which shows up Friday night.”
Senior Mario Villa, the team’s running back last season but lining up behind center this season, had 20 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns against Castle Park.
He scored the lone touchdown in the waning stages of the first half on a one-yard run. He scored his second and third touchdowns — on runs of six and five yards — in the fourth quarter to stave off a determined Castle Park comeback that saw the Trojans out-score the Red Devils 13-12.
Villa has now scored eight touchdowns in three games and is averaging 146 rushing yards per game.
As a team, the Devils rushed 49 times for 290 yards as they clung to their ball-possession game plan. Senior Isaiah Atayde attempted two passes, completing one for six yards to Villa.
Villa finished the game with 151 yards in total offense.
Junior Carlos Hopper had 19 carries for 86 yards as another workhorse on offense.
The game turned on Rodriguez’s strip fumble in the third quarter. He pried the ball from the hands of CP’s Hernandez and, picking the ball up on the bounce, returned it 32 yards for a touchdown to hike the Red Devils’ lead to 14-0.
Sweetwater’s defense came up big when it had to. The hosts recorded four sacks, including two by Hopper and another by junior Javier Sanchez (Villa and senior Uriel Camacho shared one sack), while senior Rae Dagdag and Sanchez both had interceptions.
Dagdag’s pick helped the hosts build a 20-0 lead.
Sanchez led the team with 12 tackles.
Castle Park, fresh off a 54-16 pounding of the San Ysidro Cougars the previous week, out-gained Sweetwater 311-296 in total yards.
Erik Hernandez led the Trojan assault with 188 total yards — nine carries for 124 rushing yards and one catch-and-carry for 64 yards. He scored both touchdowns for the visitors.
His first touchdown came after he reversed course deep in the Trojans’ own end and took the ball 80 yards the other way.
Junior quarterback Jose Jackson completed seven of 13 passing attempts for 171 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Senior Xavier Alvarado tallied 97 yards in all-purpose yards, including 55 on kick-off returns, 32 on pass receptions and 10 on punt returns.
Freshman Francisco Salcedo totaled 72 yards on punt returns while senior Marcos Esparza had three catches for 67 yards.
Senior Robert Abarca led Castle Park (1-1 in league, 1-2 overall) with 11 tackles while Alvarado had nine stops.
The Trojan defense blocked three Sweetwater field goal attempts to keep the score within reach. Alvarado had two blocks while Abarca had the other.
Alvarado averaged 18.3 yards on three kick-off returns.
Hernandez and senior Roman Cabal both rushed for 185 yards in the win over San Ysidro. Hernandez had three rushing touchdowns while Cabal scored once on the ground and returned a fumble for 30 yards for his second touchdown in the game.
Jackson completed three of four passing attempts for 111 yards with an imposing 156.3 quarterback efficiency rating.
Alvarado had two touchdown catches totaling 87 yards, including one 58-yard scoring play.
Senior Antonio Gomez had one sack against the Cougars while junior Davian Simler had one interception.
The Devils host San Ysidro (1-2) this Friday and conclude the spring season with an April 16 home game against Mar Vista (0-1).
Cougar country
San Yisdro is coming off its first league win after stopping host Mar Vista, 35-6, last Friday.
Junior quarterback Matthew Jaime had 14 carries for 205 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns while adding a pair of two-point conversions (one running, one passing). He broke off one 41-yard run in the game.
Junior Mckai Jackson (five carries, 76 yards), senior Brett Laing (seven carries, 66 yards) and junior Sal Samano (two carries, 10 yards) all scored one touchdown.
Defensively the visitors registered five sacks, three interceptions and two caused fumbles.
San Ysidro coach Keith Aguon noted it was the Cougars’ first win over Mar Vista since 2006.
Castle Park will close out its Metro-Pacific League season with a game Friday at Mar Vista. The Mariners will play just three games this season, all league matchups.
Junior Dante Pacheco scored Mar Vista’s lone touchdown on a 25-yard pass from sophomore Alex Wocjik while senior Isaac Maldonado rushed 12 times for 126 yards.
Junior Ross Scharping generated 104 yards on kick returns.
