CALEXICO — The Holtville High football team continued its dominant start to the 2024 season with a 38-0 victory over Calexico High at Ward Field in Calexico on Friday, Sept. 20.
The Vikings (5-0 overall) have been a powerhouse on both sides of the ball, outscoring the opposition 258-7 through five games. Averaging more than 51 points per game is impressive, but allowing only one touchdown in five games might be the more impressive feat.
The only points Holtville has given up came in week two of the season when the Vikings went to Mission Bay and scored a 46-7 victory.
Against the Bulldogs (4-1 overall), Holtville allowed just five first downs and 86 yards of offense, all on the ground.
“The defense does a good job of swarming to the ball and making the tackle,” said Jason Turner, Holtville’s head coach. “We knew Calexico wanted to run the ball so we were able to stuff the line of scrimmage and get aggressive against the run.”
The Bulldogs were forced to be one-dimensional with the rushing game on Friday after losing senior quarterback Bobby Montejano to a knee injury after last week’s victory over Francis Parker High of San Diego. The senior suffered a torn meniscus, the second quarterback to go down with a knee injury for Calexico after senior starter Sean Torres injured his knee in the opening game of the season.
“The injury is unfortunate but it’s something we have to fight through and have that ‘next man up’ mentality,” said Fernando Solano, Calexico’s fifth-year head coach. “There are a lot of nuances to our offense and the quarterback has to make reads and it is tough with Israel (Ruiz) being new to the position.”
Ruiz, a junior, was tabbed the starter during the week when it was learned Montejano would be sidelined.
“We were limited with what we could do tonight, but give Holtville all the credit. Those guys really brought it tonight,” Solano said.
The Vikings were using a backup quarterback as well. Starter Alonso Cuevas was injured in the first half of their victory over El Cajon Valley last week, pressing receiver Raul Briseno into action at quarterback.
Briseno used his legs and arm to beat the Bulldogs on Friday, rushing four times for 31 yards and two touchdowns and throwing for 189 yards and two more scores. He got help from his running backs as senior Hector Sanchez finished the game with eight carries and 103 yards while junior Enrique Armas had seven carries for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Briseno’s favorite target was junior receiver Alan Carrillo who caught five passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
“We got to work together all week at practice and get our timing down and we were pretty comfortable with each other,” said the 17-year-old Carrillo about his quarterback. “A lot of it has to do with timing and running the route we are supposed to.”
Briseno scored the first two touchdowns with his legs, scoring on a 13-yard run with 4:46 left in the first quarter to put Holtville ahead 8-0 after Armas ran in the two-point conversion.
Briseno had a seven-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter to cap a six-play, 44-yard drive and put up Holtville 14-0. The drive started when the Vikings’ Jackson Irungaray picked off an errant pass from Ruiz.
With 8:12 left in the half, Briseno showed off his arm with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Carrillo, who had gotten behind the Bulldogs’ defense. Briseno hit junior Axel Gomez for a successful two-point conversion to give the Vikings a 22-0 lead.
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Late in the first half, Armas capped a six-play, 52-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown run. For good measure, he ran in the two-point conversion and Holtville had a 30-0 lead it would take into halftime.
The only points of the second half came courtesy of a 16-yard touchdown pass from Briseno to Carrillo in the back corner of the end zone with 5:31 left in the third quarter. Gomez ran in the two-point conversion and the final was set, 38-0.
Briseno rolled to his left and lofted the ball for Carrillo who out-jumped the defender for the ball.
“On that play I’m supposed to go up and fake like I’m blocking and then release down the field,” Carrillo said. “I did that and he (Briseno) threw a nice ball that let me go up and get it.”
Holtville will be back at Birger Field in Holtville at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, when the Vikings host Lake Mead Christian Academy of Henderson, Nevada. The Eagles (1-2 overall) are coached by former Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins quarterback Jay Schroeder.
Calexico begins Imperial Valley League play at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, when the Bulldogs host Brawley (4-0 overall) at Ward Field on the Calexico High campus.
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