Palma's plan all season was to keep the number of carries down for star RB Jack Myers in order to keep him fresh for the playoff run. That plan worked to perfection as Myers rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns on a whopping 31 carries to lead the top-seeded Chieftains (11-1-1) to a 33-21 over previously undefeated and second-seeded Carmel (12-1) Saturday night in front of an estimated crowd of 5,000 at Monterey Peninsula College in the CCS Division IV Championship.
Palma scored touchdowns on five of its six possessions, but it was the defense that came up big, forcing two second-half turnovers to pull away from the high-powered Padres, who came into the game averaging 55 points per game. Leading just 14-7 at the half, Palma opened the second half with a sustained drive capped by the first of three second-half touchdowns by Myers, a six-yard run to put the Chieftains up, 20-7, midway through the third quarter.
Carmel answered with a drive into Palma territory, but star QB Devin Pearson fumbled the snap and Palma took over on its own 34. The Chieftains were forced to punt for the only time all night, and punter Matt Vultaggio responded by unloading a 62-yard drive that was downed on the Carmel 8. Pearson found a hole on the very next play, but he fumbled the ball and Palma recovered on the Padre 13 late in the third quarter. Myers took it in from the 13 on the very next play and just like that, Palma led 27-7 with just 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
The two turnovers proved costly, as Carmel, behind the leadership of Pearson, outgained Palma, 391-277. The Padres made one more run at it when, after a Holden Smith 3-yard touchdown run made it 27-14, they recovered an onside kick on their own 47. But Carmel was stopped inches short of a first down on fourth-and-5 from the Palma 48 and the Chieftains were able to nurse the lead to the finish.
Pearson connected on a pair of TD strikes to WR Martin Enriquez, an 82-yarder in the first quarter and a 20-yarder in the fourth with 1:18 to play to account for the final score of the night. Palma QB Jack Tardieu rushed for two first-half touchdowns to provide the Chieftains with their 14-7 halftime lead.
