HS Football: Champ Palmdale leaves no doubt in romp over AV
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
Nov. 6, 2015
LANCASTER - All the hype of a matchup with enough plots to be deemed the game of the year was squashed shortly after halftime on Friday night.
Along with it was Antelope Valley, victim of an exclamation-point performance by Palmdale in a 35-14 shellacking that gave the Falcons their fourth consecutive Golden League championship.
"10-0, Golden League champions," Palmdale senior quarterback Nathaniel Myles said. "You can't ask for nothing better."
In a game of two teams with perfect league marks on the final day of the regular season, the Falcons (10-0, 7-0 GL) did what they've been doing for now 32 consecutive games dating back to 2011: drive a stake through the hearts of their opponents.
This one came by way of a lot of Richard Newton, who rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns, and a remarkable defensive game plan that limited the best offensive team in the GL to its lowest offensive output since Week 3.
"It's almost like we knew what (the Antelopes) were going to do before they did it," Palmdale head coach Jeff Williams said.
After the Antelopes (7-3, 6-1) took the lead on a Jiggy Walker 18-yard touchdown run with 10:03 to go in the second quarter, the Falcons responded with four consecutive touchdowns and 2-point conversions to take a 35-6 lead with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
AV junior quarterback Morrell Osling III, the Golden League's leading passer, spent all night running for his life and finished 5-for-9 for 58 yards before exiting in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury.
Palmdale sacked Osling five times.
The Antelopes wouldn't score until Ty'rayl Martin ran a touchdown in from four yards out with 3:24 left in the game.
By then the game had been decided. Palmdale would not be denied.
"They did a great job outcoaching us on this one," AV head coach Ron Wilson said. "I'll take that on the chin as a coach."
Myles rushed for 90 yards and also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Myles Christian in the third quarter.
But in a game with history on the line, it was Newton, a sophomore, who continued to announce his arrival as yet another one of Palmdale's dominant backs.
Trailing 6-3, Palmdale went Newton mode. The sophomore took five straight handoffs and turned them into 33 yards, the final one a four-yard TD that gave the Falcons the lead for good.
"They couldn't stop it," Williams said. "If you're not conditioned to be a physical football player it takes a toll.
"I could tell they were starting to tap themselves out, so it was a physical offense that we delivered to them tonight.
In Palmdale's next possession, Newton rushed eight times for 47 yards. The final rush of the drive was an 8-yard TD to give Palmdale a 19-6 lead at halftime.
At that point, the writing was on the wall. AV, which got 61 rushing yards from Jamani Liggins, would come in second.
"I'm proud of them," Wilson said of his players. "Some people thrive on winning league. Some people have bigger dreams. Our bigger dream is still alive. We're in the playoffs."
So is Palmdale, which will look to make a deep postseason run for the first time in several seasons. A CIF championship is the one thing that's eluded the undisputed cream of the crop of the Golden League.
Friday night was about keeping their crown, however. The Falcons did so in an emphatic way, shrugging away all the buildup the final game of the year contained.
Once again, the championship stays in Palmdale.
"It's an expectation that we've built here," Williams said.
Nov. 6, 2015
LANCASTER - All the hype of a matchup with enough plots to be deemed the game of the year was squashed shortly after halftime on Friday night.
Along with it was Antelope Valley, victim of an exclamation-point performance by Palmdale in a 35-14 shellacking that gave the Falcons their fourth consecutive Golden League championship.
"10-0, Golden League champions," Palmdale senior quarterback Nathaniel Myles said. "You can't ask for nothing better."
In a game of two teams with perfect league marks on the final day of the regular season, the Falcons (10-0, 7-0 GL) did what they've been doing for now 32 consecutive games dating back to 2011: drive a stake through the hearts of their opponents.
This one came by way of a lot of Richard Newton, who rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns, and a remarkable defensive game plan that limited the best offensive team in the GL to its lowest offensive output since Week 3.
"It's almost like we knew what (the Antelopes) were going to do before they did it," Palmdale head coach Jeff Williams said.
After the Antelopes (7-3, 6-1) took the lead on a Jiggy Walker 18-yard touchdown run with 10:03 to go in the second quarter, the Falcons responded with four consecutive touchdowns and 2-point conversions to take a 35-6 lead with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
AV junior quarterback Morrell Osling III, the Golden League's leading passer, spent all night running for his life and finished 5-for-9 for 58 yards before exiting in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury.
Palmdale sacked Osling five times.
The Antelopes wouldn't score until Ty'rayl Martin ran a touchdown in from four yards out with 3:24 left in the game.
By then the game had been decided. Palmdale would not be denied.
"They did a great job outcoaching us on this one," AV head coach Ron Wilson said. "I'll take that on the chin as a coach."
Myles rushed for 90 yards and also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Myles Christian in the third quarter.
But in a game with history on the line, it was Newton, a sophomore, who continued to announce his arrival as yet another one of Palmdale's dominant backs.
Trailing 6-3, Palmdale went Newton mode. The sophomore took five straight handoffs and turned them into 33 yards, the final one a four-yard TD that gave the Falcons the lead for good.
"They couldn't stop it," Williams said. "If you're not conditioned to be a physical football player it takes a toll.
"I could tell they were starting to tap themselves out, so it was a physical offense that we delivered to them tonight.
In Palmdale's next possession, Newton rushed eight times for 47 yards. The final rush of the drive was an 8-yard TD to give Palmdale a 19-6 lead at halftime.
At that point, the writing was on the wall. AV, which got 61 rushing yards from Jamani Liggins, would come in second.
"I'm proud of them," Wilson said of his players. "Some people thrive on winning league. Some people have bigger dreams. Our bigger dream is still alive. We're in the playoffs."
So is Palmdale, which will look to make a deep postseason run for the first time in several seasons. A CIF championship is the one thing that's eluded the undisputed cream of the crop of the Golden League.
Friday night was about keeping their crown, however. The Falcons did so in an emphatic way, shrugging away all the buildup the final game of the year contained.
Once again, the championship stays in Palmdale.
"It's an expectation that we've built here," Williams said.