APTOS, CA — Mission accomplished.
After three days of fun in the California sun including holding a practice at the beach the Arlington Heights High football team of Fort Worth, Texas did what it came for in dispatching Scotts Valley 28-14 Friday night at Cabrillo College.
Arlington Heights and Scotts Valley played in the first-ever football contest in which a Texas high school football team came to California. The game was held at Carl Connelly Stadium in Aptos.
The Yellow Jackets forced four Scotts Valley turnovers in the first half and capitalized by scoring three touchdowns off of them.
Offensively quarterback Deion Hair Griffin completed 11-of-16 pass attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown. Running back Kevin Bowie had touchdown runs of 3 and 9 yards, while Terrance Gilliam ran for a game-high 55 yards on 10 carries including a 3-yard touchdown run in the win.
“We played a good game,” Bowie said. “Everyone got to play we just wanted to have fun out here while still getting the victory. It was mission accomplished.”
In all 10 different Yellow Jackets ballcarriers combined for 225 yards rushing on 42 carries in the win.
While Arlington Heights was frequently subbing players in and out of the backfield, Scotts Valley was forced to play catchup pretty much the whole game.
A vaunted Yellow Jackets defense held the Falcons to only 58 yards of total offense in the first half and held Scotts Valley to only five yards rushing on 16 carries in the game.
Arlington Heights led 28-0 at halftime.
“I was proud of our kids, the goal is to play tough teams and we have always said you have to get better,” said Scotts Valley coach Louie Walters. “I felt we got better than we were a week ago that was a good football team. I think we are getting better offensively.”
To start the second half Arlington Heights coach Phil Young called off the dogs and took out starting quarterback Griffin and the bulk of the starters on defense and Scotts Valley found some rhythm.
Falcons senior quarterback Jake Lobo who completed only 4-of-8 first-half pass attempts for 50 yards and two interceptions came into form for the first time this season in the second half.
Lobo finished 15-of-29 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions including a 66-yard touchdown pass to Branden Van Valer to give the Falcons their first score of the game.
“It was exciting. I loved their energy - they love football and they live for this,” Lobo said. “I’m grateful to play them. I’ll remember this the rest of my life.
“Second half we brought it up a lot. Offensively it was my fault - in the first half we need to eliminate mistakes but I think that is all preparation. Turnovers killed us.”
Timmy Wagner had a game-high 73 yards receiving on eight catches and Ethan Emmanuelson had an 11-yard touchdown reception in the loss.
Brennan Bibbs caught six passes for 60 yards and Davon Davis hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass for Arlington Heights.
“It was a good game we played hard through for quarters like we are supposed to - it was Yellow Jackets football,” Griffin said. “The idea was to get out here, get our game plan, play like we are supposed to and we came out with a victory. Mission accomplished we got the victory we didn’t come out here for a vacation we came for a victory. Now we can have fun now that we took care of business.”
The fun today will consist of taking in the Army-Stanford football game in Palo Alto before flying back home to Fort Worth later tonight.
Coach Young was extremely grateful for this whole experience of having his team be the first team to travel to California and play a team from another state.
“Mission accomplished I’m really proud of our kids,” Young said. “We had a great time here it’s been absolutely one of the best things we have ever done. I can’t wait to get (Scotts Valley) down to (Fort Worth) next year and it will be as fun of time for them as it was for us this year. We appreciate the hospitality - it was amazing.”
Scotts Valley will face Arlington Heights again next season this time in Fort Worth. It will be the Falcons' fifth trip to play a team in Texas since 2003. Scotts Valley is 0-4 lifetime on its trips to Texas.
