By Maddie Baker
Cougars celebrated their Homecoming victory on Friday, Sep. 23 with fireworks in the sky after beating Valley 56-0.
“It means everything to us as a team, as well as to our staff, to have gotten our first win at home this season. It being the Homecoming game was just icing on the cake. It feels awesome, and hopefully, we can use this as momentum going into the season,” Gavin Wale, sophomore, said.
First quarter started out as Valley kicked off to Coronado, and the Cougars received at the 30 yard line. On their next possession, Coronado drove down field and ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ishmael Jones, junior. The extra point by Wale was good, making the score 7-0 Cougars. For Coronado’s third down, Semaj Bolin, sophomore, ran a reverse to the nine yard line and a penalty moved the ball to the five yard line. From there, senior Landen Rowland scored a touchdown with a quarterback keeper. The extra point was good, and the Cougs lead 14-0 with about three minutes left in the quarter. Valley returned a Coronado kick off to their own 23-yard line. On a third down with a pass completion to the 43 yard line, the Vikings receiver fumbled, and Dillon Stewart, sophomore, returned 43 yards for a touchdown. Cougars made a two-point conversion, ending the first quarter with a 22-0 lead.
A pooch kick started second quarter, and Valley received it on the 43-yard line. Valley got down to their own 18-yard line, then on the second down fumbled but recovered. On the following play D’angelo Bottley, senior, intercepted the ball and returned it to the 40-yard line, but a facemask penalty moved the ball to the Vikings 45-yard line. On Valley’s first down, they had an offsides penalty. On the next play Tyler Jones, junior, ran around the right side and scored another touchdown. Wale’s extra point kick was good, leaving the score Coronado 29-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, a Viking running back returned the kickoff all the way to the Cougar five-yard line. Then Coronado recovered aa Valley fumble on the seven-yard line. On the second down Carlos Perez, junior, made a run to the 45-yard line. Two plays later, Rowland threw to Jones at the 35-yard line. Jones broke a tackle and took the ball in for a touchdown. Cougars did not receive the two-point conversion, so the score was 35-0 with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Wale kicked to the 20-yard line, which Valley fumbled and Coronado recovered. A hand-off to Bolin resulted in a touchdown. The extra point was good, and the first half ended Cougars 42-0.
“Team sports are tough because you win together and lose together. It’s all about teamwork and discipline, and with many challenges before Homecoming, we became more of a team and a family than ever. It feels amazing to win Homecoming, but it’s just a start to the rest of the season,” Stewart said.
After the halftime festivities, which included the class floats and announcing the king, Dylan Ziegler, and queen, Shelby Burdo, concluded, Coronado kicked off to Valley. The only score in the third quarter was an intercepted pass by Bottley at the 22-yard line, who took it down the sidelines for a touchdown. The extra point made the score 49-0 with over three minutes left in the quarter. Coronado again attempted a pooch kick, which recovered the ball at the Viking 29-yard line, though they were up by 49 points.
During the fourth quarter, the mercy rule was brought into play, meaning the clock continued to run even when it would normally stop. Fourth quarter started with Coronado’s only turnover when Valley recovered a Cougar fumble at the 35-yard line. After the Vikings were unable to move the ball, it went over the punter’s head on the snap. He retreated to the five-yard line then ran up the right side to punt the ball, hitting a Cougar player, allowing the Vikings to recover it at their own 28-yard line. Again, the Coronado defense held Valley, and on the fourth down, sacked Valley’s quarterback. A flag was thrown, moving the ball to Valley’s 10-yard line. On the first play, Perez ran it in for a touchdown, and Wale made the last extra point. The game ended with Coronado victorious over Valley 56-0.
“I think winning this week gives us more of a confidence boost for next week’s game, but we still get to work hard and have initiative to prepare for every game from week to week,” Matthew Tokos, junior, said.
