Paloma Valley Bounces Back in a Big Way, 35-21

Paloma Valley defensive lineman Connor Gillette (90) closes in for a sack of King quarterback Bradley Kleven, forcing a fumble that resulted in a Wildcats touchdown in Friday's 35-21 victory. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

So what got the Paloma Valley High School football team so fired up Friday night, Sept. 11?

Well, for one thing, there was an emotional pregame ceremony in which a giant American flag was spread across the field to recognize 9/11 and Military Appreciation Night. But coach Bert Esposito said there was another motivating factor in the Wildcats' 35-21 victory over King High of Riverside.

Embarrassment.

That pretty much describes Paloma Valley's Sept. 4 game at Vista High of San Diego. Nothing went right in a 61-7 loss that night. Besides being an incredible letdown a week after the team's 34-0 win over JW North in its season opener, the defeat posed a challenge for the Wildcats heading into Friday night's game.

"After that game I just said, 'Look, we got embarrassed tonight,' " said Esposito (right). "We gave that old speech, 'Everybody gets knocked down. It's what you do after that. Are we going to get back up?'

"The next day they came to film and were all into it. It was 'Coach, we'll show you.' My whole thing was, I needed to know we could recover, because we are way better than what we showed. Then we had a great practice Monday. I'm just so proud of these guys. They played their hearts out tonight."

That they did. It took only six minutes for the Wildcats to jump out to a 14-0 lead, and they never looked back. They compiled 387 yards total offense, including 68 yards rushing by Demarco Prewitt, 66 by Khayrii Joyner and two rushing touchdowns by Dayday Lewis. Sophomore quarterback Chance Nolan passed for 234 yards and a touchdown.

Then there was the defense. It forced four King turnovers, including three fumbles -- two forced by senior defensive lineman Connor Gillette. The first came halfway through the first quarter, with Gillette sacking King quarterback Bradley Kleven, knocking the ball loose for teammate Lewis to return 15 yards for a touchdown.

That made it 14-0. Moments earlier, Paloma scored on its first possession, with Prewitt capping an 80-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. King recovered to make it 14-7 before the end of the quarter, but Paloma led 28-14 at halftime and King never really threatened after that.

"I'm like the eternal pessimist, so I was expecting King to come and do some things and that we might mess up because we have a lot of youth and inexperience," Esposito said. "I was nervous until two minutes to go."

Lewis, a transfer to the Wildcats this year, scored his second touchdown on an 11-yard run and a 21-7 lead to open the second quarter. Moments later, Gillette forced his second fumble of the game, giving Paloma the ball back at midfield.

"We had a tough week last week, but we had a really good practice Monday," Gillette said. "I've got to give it to my DBs and all the other defensive players for giving me time to get those sacks and force those fumbles.

"I wouldn't say they (the Wolves) laid down, but we had the tempo and we were just driving, driving, driving. You could see it. They were scared they were going to get beat."

The Wildcats took advantage again, with Nolan passing 10 yards to Cameron Whatley for a leaping catch in the end zone and a 28-7 lead (left). King scored before halftime, but the Wildcats made it 35-14 early in the third quarter when Lewis ran 4 yards for his third touchdown, a score set up by runs from Joyner.

"We wanted to show we're a team and a unit and that nothing can really stop us," Lewis said. "That one bump in the road is not the whole season. I feel blessed just to play with this group.

"This is the best team I've played on. I see us going far."

Esposito said the emotional pregame ceremony gave the Wildcats extra motivation for the game.

"They thought it was the coolest thing in the world," he said about the players' reaction to the presentation of the Big Flag. "I was almost in tears. I love being an American. It was awesome."

Demarco Prewitt dives over the goal line for a touchdown in the first quarter.

The ball pops loose from King quarterback Bradley Kleven after a hit by Connor Gillette.

Dayday Lewis finds running room to help lead the Paloma Valley offense.

Paloma Valley quarterback Chance Nolan passed for 234 yards in the victory.

The official signals touchdown as Dayday Lewis drags a defender across the goal line in the second quarter.

Demarco Prewitt rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.

Khayrii Joyner picks up yards in the first half.