Flashes Crowned Champions
Flashes stay on top with 48-14 over Santa Clara

When Santa Clara and Fillmore took the field on Friday everyone knew what was at steak. It was just a question of who would come out on top. Could Fillmore force a tie and become Co- champions? Or would Santa Clara be at the top all alone? This game would answer both those questions.

Santa Clara received the ball first to begin the game. On Santa Clara's first offensive play the ball was intercepted by the Flashes. Fillmore took the ball inside their 20 yard line where Hayden Wright scored the games first touchdown from 16 yards out with 8:40 left in the first quarter. Fillmore forced Santa Clara's offense off the field with a 3 and out on Santa Clara's next possession. Fillmore took over possession of the ball and scored their second touchdown of the night with 2:19 left in the 1st quarter. The Saints, down 14-0 looked to get something going as they returned the kickoff down to the 44 yard line. Santa Clara took the ball down to the 10 yard line where the quarterback threw a 10 yard strike into the endzone with 11:52 left in the 2nd quarter. On the Saints next possession, down 14-7 they looked to tie the game up, but were stopped by the Flashes on 4th and 3 from the 13 yard line. On Fillmores next play they handed the ball off to Tyler Esquivel who burst up the middle for a 75 yrd gain. Fillmore got the ball down to the 10 yard line where they handed the ball off to Chino for a 10 yard touchdown to give Fillmore a 21-7 lead with 6:04 left before halftime. Santa Clara appeared to have scored a touchdown, but a penalty negated the touchdown. Santa Clara missed a field goal and went into the locker room down 21-7 at the half.

Fillmore returned the kickoff 70 yards. Later on the drive Tyler Esquivel scored a touchdown, however the PAT was blocked. Fillmore lead 27-7. On the Saints next possession they scored a 1 yard touchdown to cut the lead to 27-14 with 3:41 left in the 3rd quarter. The Saints held Fillmore and forced a 4th and 1. Fillmore handed the ball off to Justin Coert and they got a first down. Fillmore extended their lead to 34-14 thanks to a touchdown run by Hayden Wright with 3:28 left in the 3rd quarter. Santa

Clara could not get anything going as they were forced to punt on their next possession with 1:52 left in the 3rd quarter. The Saints got the ball back thanks to a fumble by the Flashes. Fillmore was up 34-14 with only 1 quarter left to play.

Santa Clara attempted a Field goal and missed it, and the Flashes returned it all the way to the 42 yard line. Santa Clara held Fillmore on 3 plays and forced a punt. On the next play Santa Clara fumbled it back to Fillmore. The Flashes then handed the ball off to Justin Coert as he took it down to the 5 yard line setting up a touchdown run by Carson Mclain to give the Flashes a 41-14 lead with 7:45 left in the game. Santa Clara tried to get another score in, but they fumbled it back to the Flashes. With 4:46 left to play Carson Mclain handed the ball off to Hayden Wright as he ran it 50 yards for a Fillmore Flashes touchdown.

Fillmore went on to beat Santa Clara by a score of 48-14 forcing both teams to be co-champions. Santa Clara won the coin flip to take possession of the #1 seed. Good luck to the Saints as they play Banning high school (Banning, Ca) next week at Santa Clara. Fillmore takes the #2 seed in the playoffs as they gear up to take on Citrus Valley (Redlands) next Friday at 7pm. GOOD LUCK, AND GO FLASHES!