GAME OF THE WEEK: St. Paul at Norte Vista
THE DETAILS:
Santa Fe Springs St. Paul vs. Riverside Norte Vista
CIF-Southern Section Division 7 Semifinal Round Game
At Zack Earp Stadium – Norte Vista HS, Riverside (Calif.)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 25
SANTA FE SPRINGS ST. PAUL (6-6 overall, 2-3 Angelus) has had its season defined by the altercation vs. Riverside Notre Dame in Week 2 and the resulting forfeiture of two games. The Swordsmen lost two of their last three regular season games but won a shootout on the road at Monrovia, 54-42, in the first round before holding on to defeat Oxnard Pacifica, 28-21, at home in the quarterfinals last week. A pair of 325-plus pound tackles anchor everything this team does offensively, which is mostly a short-passing scheme that relies heavily upon the ability to run the ball. Senior QB Alfredo Reyes has been efficient (63-for-94 with only three INTs) while senior RB Nick Redick approaches his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
HEAD COACH: Rick Zepeda
RIVERSIDE NORTE VISTA (10-2 overall, 5-0 River Valley) has captured lightning in a bottle this season. Senior RB Eric Melesio could become Riverside County’s all-time leading rusher with 92 yards tonight as the Braves look to advance to their first CIF-SS final since with a win. Melesio was the InlandFieldhouse.com Player of the Week for Week 12 after gaining an Inland Area single-game record 563 yards and scoring eight TDs in a 62-56 victory over San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s. He currently has 3,945 rushing yards and 50 rushing scores, and is set to become just the this California prep back to surpass 4,000 yards in a single season.
HEAD COACH: Ken Batdorf
THE KEY PLAYERS:
Santa Fe Springs St. Paul – QB Alfredo Reyes, Sr. (5-foot-10, 165 pounds); RB/CB Nick Redick, Sr. (6-ffootm 178); RB Armando Velasco, Jr. (5-11, 178); WR/FS Gabriel Bermudez, Sr. (5-10, 168); T Zach Aceves, Sr. (6-2, 323); T Xavier Mendoza, Jr. (6-3, 355); MLB Daniel Haro, Sr. (5-8, 185); MLB/FB Christopher Borrego, Sr. (5-11, 185); ILB Joseph Troncoza, Soph. (6-foot, 212); K Gerek Melendrez, Soph. (5-9, 156)
Riverside Norte Vista – QB/DB Isaiah Hughes, Sr. (6-foot, 160 pounds); RB Eric Melesio, Sr. (5-9, 165); RB/OLB Martin Solano, Sr. (5-11, 175); FB/MLB Omar Godoy, Sr. (6-foot, 245); RB/OLB Adam Garcia, Sr. (5-9, 170); DT/C Solomon Iosefa, Sr. (6-1, 285); DT/FB Stanton Manumaleuna, Sr. (6-2, 295); OL/FB Andrew Davidson, Sr. (5-10, 240); K Alberto Aguiliara, Soph. (6-foot, 180)
THE DIFFERENCE:
Eric Melesio. If he’s able to get through St. Paul’s second level the Braves will move on to the championship game.
THE FINAL SCORE:
Norte Vista 34, St. Paul 24
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 