Vincent Memorial Scots 21, Montgomery Aztecs 17
The Vincent Memorial Scots score 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to escape Montgomery with a 21-17 victory improving to 5-1.
It was a close contest throughout with the game tied at 7 in the 1st quarter and at 14 in the 4th quarter.
The Scots took their first lead of the game with 5:28 remaining in the fourth quarter and it would turn out to be the game-winning score.
On a third-and-12, quarterback Hernan Olivas found a wide open Alvaro Galastegui off play-action for a 56-yard touchdown.
Olivas was the player of the game with three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions.
The first touchdown came in the 1st quarter when the elusive quarterback rolled right and found his favorite target Alejandro Cervantes for a 47-yard touchdown.
The second passing touchdown occurred in the 4th quarter with 9:50 remaining. The sophomore alluded pressure and found Noe Saenz for a 38-yard touchdown.
The Aztec defensive backfield played well majority of the night, but the duel-threat ability of Olivas allowed receivers to get open behind the secondary for big plays.
An honorable mention on the Scot’s defense was Miguel Gomez who was a wrecking ball up front.
Montgomery’s Samson You was the bright spot for the Aztecs with impact plays both on offense and defense.
You made a nice acrobatic catch for a 25-yard score and batted multiple passes away.
The Aztecs are much more improved both offensively and defensively since Week 1.
They are the favorite to win the Metro-Pacific League with one more game to go before league play begins.
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PREVIEW
The Vincent Memorial Scots are carving a path for another state championship run after starting the season 4-1.
Head coach David Wong has turned the program around quickly, winning two league championships in three years and becoming 2017 CIF 6A Southern Champions for the first time in school history.
The scary thing for Division V this year is this might be the most talented team Wong has coached with an array of weapons on offense along with the combination of size and athleticism up front.
Defensive coordinators have had difficulties this year trying to slow the Scots’ offense because they can do it both from the air and the ground.
This years team brings a balanced attack averaging 169 passing yards and 158 rushing yards per game.
Leading the rushing attack is captain Daniel Rizzo with 379 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in the first four games. The senior is averaging more than 7 yards per tote and is on pace to have a career year.
Fullback Jorge Ruiz breaks defenses down with his size and strength to allow speedy players like Emilio Abazaid and Alejandro Cervantes to bounce it outside for big gains.
Sophomores Alejandro Cervantes and Noe Saenz have been great additions to an already stacked offense. Saenz and Abazaid are averaging around 30 yards per reception.
The glue that holds it all together is converted quarterback Hernan Olivas, who leads the attack with more than 1,000 total yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns (7 pass, 3 rush). His dual-threat ability keeps defenses off balance, as he can expose them in multiple ways.
Standing in the Scots way are the revitalized Montgomery Aztecs. Coming off a bye week, the Aztecs have had an extra week to prepare.
The excitement from the Aztecs coaching staff has been about the players returning from grades right before their bye week.
The Sweetwater Union High School District begins school early resulting in a quicker return for players eligible to come back for academic suspension. The hype lived up to expectations as they beat Army-Navy, 23-3.
Will the Aztecs revamped squad be able to overtake a top Division V team? You can find out on KUSI’s Prep Pigskin Report at 11 p.m.
