Heritage High to Host Semifinal Playoff Game Friday Night

Matt Palmer leaps high to intercept a pass in last Friday's game -- his seventh pick in the last three weeks. Photo by Matthew Anderson

For the third consecutive season, the Heritage High School football team will play in the CIF-SS football semifinals when the Patriots play host to Colony High of Ontario Friday at 7 p.m.

Having lost in the CIF finals two years ago and in the semifinals last year, the Patriots with a win Friday would put themselves in position to win their first CIF championship the following week. Yet no one on the team is talking about anything other than the task at hand this week.

"La Quinta was a running team. They're big and physical," coach Kraig Broach said about the team Heritage defeated on the road last week, 42-12. "Colony is kind of the polar opposite of La Quinta. They're more athletic and they spread the ball out."

Granted, the Titans (9-3) like to throw the ball and pick up yardage in big chunks. Sophomore quarterback Josh Thompson has passed for 1,951 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. But Colony can run the ball, too. Senior Devan Imbach has rushed for 1,068 yards and 12 TDs. Heritage defenders will have to be ready for anything when they face the Titans, who knocked off third-seeded Riverside Poly last week, 45-35.

When Colony puts the ball in the air, Heritage defensive back Matt Palmer will be ready. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior had two more interceptions last week against La Quinta, giving him seven picks in his last three games and nine for the season.

"I don't know why people keep throwing the ball my way, but if they want to keep throwing a jump ball to a guy 6-3, I'll take it," Palmer said. "So far I've been taller than every receiver I've faced, so that gives me an advantage."

Broach said there's more to it than that.

"Matt does a great job of assignment football," the coach said. "We have him playing deep and he knows where to be to go for the ball."

The Heritage offense also is coming into Friday's game running in high gear. Running back Limihai Hifo rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns on runs of 90 and 29 yards. His ability to bust the big play is a key for the Patriots (11-1). Hifo has run for 1,470 yards and 15 touchdowns while sharing the rushing duties with three others.

Sione Takitaki has rushed for 638 yards and 10 touchdowns, Isaiah Morrow has rushed for 660 yards and 6 touchdowns and Jalen Glover has run for 410 yards and 4 TDs. Even sophomore quarterback Brett Virgil (above) has rushed for 400 yards and 5 scores.

Virgil also can throw when he has to, evidenced by a 61-yard touchdown pass to Chris Nile and TD passes of 8 and 65 yards last Friday. On the season, Virgil has thrown for 1,040 yards and 14 touchdowns.

"Limihai had three runs over 50 yards and Brett had two touchdown passes over 50," Broach said. "That changed the whole complexion of the game."

And now with a more wide-open offense coming to town this weekend, the Patriots defenders must be ready. Palmer, for one, says he will be.

"From what I've seen, Colony runs a spread offense and is a lot like Paloma (Valley)," he said. "The key for us is, once we shut down the run, expect the pass. I'm gonna love that."

Gates open at 6 p.m. for Friday's game. Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $5 for students and children.

Senior running back Limihai Hifo pics up big yardage against La Quinta. Photo by Matthew Anderson

Chris Nile prepares to haul in a 61-yard touchdown pass in the La Quinta game. Photo by Matthew Anderson

Paloma Valley's Season Ends With 41-35 Loss to Kaiser

Demarco Prewitt crosses the goal line for a touchdown in Friday night's playoff game, won by Kaiser. Photos by David Stovall

By Zac Force

Despite a big night by sophomore running back Demarco Prewitt, Paloma Valley High's football season ended Friday night with a 41-35 loss to Kaiser in the CIF-SS Central Division quarterfinals.

Prewitt rushed for 275 yards and three touchdowns for Paloma Valley (10-2), which rallied from a 14-point deficit to tie the score at 35-35 late in the fourth quarter. The tying score came on a 93-yard fumble return by the Wildcats' Michael Valencia (below left, in an earlier play).

But Kaiser responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by quarterback Raymond Padilla's 6-yard TD run.

Paloma Valley had one final possession but lost the ball on a fumble and Kaiser went on to victory.

"We had too many mistakes. That isn’t like us," said Paloma Valley coach Bert Esposito. "It wasn’t a specific mistake that we made; it was the amount of mistakes we made."

Even in defeat, Esposito expressed pride in the accomplishments of his players this season.

"This was an amazing season," he said. "The kids really earned it and it was one of the best in school history."

On the very first play from scrimmage, Prewitt took off for a 71-yard touchdown run, giving Paloma a 7-0 lead. Kaiser then bounced back with a defensive score when Paloma quarterback Brent Boehm’s fumble was returned for a 60-yard touchdown.

Prewitt struck for two more first-quarter touchdowns, giving the Wildcats a 21-7 lead heading into the second quarter.

The second quarter was relatively quiet. The only score came on a 47-yard touchdown run by Kaiser's Padilla. This touchdown seemed to spark Kaiser, which rattled off 21 unanswered points in the third quarter.

Faced with a 35-21 deficit going into the fourth quarter, Paloma Valley finally found the end zone with a touchdown pass from Boehm to wide receiver R.J. Benz, cutting the lead to one possession. Then came Valencia's fumble return for a TD.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Padilla engineered the winning drive for Kaiser moments later.

Kaiser’s 492 rushing yards nearly doubled Paloma’s 256 rushing yards. Even though Paloma had 134 passing yards to Kaiser’s 18, the Wildcats still had 120 total less offensive yards.

Paloma was called for 11 penalties for 100 yards while Kaiser only had 5 for 34 yards. Kaiser more than doubled the Wildcats' time of possession with 32:18 to just 15:42 for Paloma.

Heritage Advances to CIF Semifinals By Beating La Quinta

Limihai Hifo rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns, Brett Virgil passed for three TDs and Matt Palmer intercepted two passes Friday night to lead Heritage High to a 42-12 win at La Quinta in the CIF-SS Central Division football playoffs.

The Patriots led from start to finish and improved their record to 11-1, earning a spot in the semifinals next Friday at home against Colony High of Ontario. It will be the team's third consecutive appearance in the semifinals.

Heritage took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter and was cruising, 36-12, by halftime. Virgil threw two touchdown passes to Evan Rodriguez (8 yards and 65 yards) in the first quarter and one to Chris Nile (61 yards) in the second quarter.

Hifo scored on runs of 90 yards and 29 yards. Sione Takitaki added a 2-yard TD run.

Palmer's two interceptions on defense gives him seven in the last three games and nine for the season.

Heritage, which lost in the CIF finals two years ago and in the semifinals last year, will be facing a Colony team that knocked off Riverside Poly 45-35 Friday night.

Paloma Valley, Heritage Girls Basketball Teams Lose

Paloma Valley and Heritage high schools both dropped out of the CIF Southern Section girls basketball playoffs with first-round losses Saturday night.

AB Miller High of Fontana took a big lead early and cruised to a 69-32 victory over Paloma Valley, which finished its season with a 14-13 record. Ashlynn Cota was the Wildcats' season scorer with 11 points.

In another playoff opener, Bonita took a 17-6 lead in the first quarter and never looked back en route to a 66-46 victory over Heritage. The Patriots finished their season with a 16-10 record.