Kimball uses big plays to pull away in second half of blowout against Golden Valley

The Golden Valley High football was victimized by the big play and could only watch as Kimball stretched what was a one-point lead at the half to a 50-19 victory at Veterans Stadium on Friday night.

The Jaguars outscored the Cougars 36 to 6 in the second half, including the final 29 points of the game to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Golden Valley dropped to 1-4 on the year as the Cougars head into their bye week before opening Central California Conference play against Merced.

The Cougars admitted the second half got away from them.

“We got sluggish, once they started beating on us we sort of gave up as a team,” said senior receiver Dominic Gonzalez.

Golden Valley head coach Rick Martinez says his guys are still learning how to respond when they get hit with a big play.

“We got to be able to battle and stay in the game,” Martinez said. “We’re just not there yet. We don’t have enough guys who understand you might have to trade a punch for a punch, you got to go back and forth for the whole game and it might come down to the last play or last drive. We just have to stay in the game.”

The Jaguars displayed their explosiveness with five touchdowns scored from at least 53 or more yards.

Quarterback and returner Josiah Wilson and running back Jermaine Nance took center stage, each scoring three touchdowns.

Wilson returned two long kickoffs for touchdowns and added a 90-yard scoring run from quarterback.

Nance finished with 15 carries for 150 yards and two catches for 85 yards. Nance scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 73 yards and a 53-yard screen pass.

“Those guys are special,” Martinez said. “I was really impressed with those two guys.”

The Cougars were in the game early as quarterback Gabriel Richards connected with receiver Josiah McCray on an 18-yard touchdown pass to give GV a 7-0 lead at the start of the second quarter.

However, Wilson answered with an 82 yard kickoff return to quickly pull Kimball even at 7-7 with 11:43 left in the first half.

Golden Valley seized the momentum just before halftime when Benito Lara blocked a long field goal attempt on the last play of the second quarter. Cougars teammate Elijah Navarro scooped it up and returned the block 66 yards for a touchdown to pull GV within 14-13.

Wilson opened the second half with his second kickoff return for a touchdown to extend the lead to 21-13.

Golden Valley responded that big play with a 65-yard kickoff return by Josiah McCray that set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Gonzalez that cut the deficit to 21-19 with 11:27 left.

However, the Jaguars kept dialing up the big plays.

Nance took a screen pass 53 yards for a score. Kimball then capitalized on a Golden Valley turnover and punched the ball in the end zone on a 3-yard run by Nance.

Another defensive stop by the Jaguars set up Wilson with a 90-yard touchdown run and suddenly Kimball had stretched out a 43-19 lead with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

“We need to keep our heads in the game,” said Golden Valley senior running back Deavon Williams. “We need to be able to turn the next page, get rid of the mistakes. I noticed a lot in the second half we put our heads down. The mistakes get in our head.”

The Cougars now have a week to lick their wounds after playing a grueling non-league schedule that included opponents like Bullard, Escalon, Elk Grove and Kimball.

“We hung tough and we lost some games,” Martinez said. “We grew from it but the other side is we’re getting banged up. The week off is going to be good for us.”

Despite a 1-4 start, Martinez feels the tough games will pay off for the Cougars as they move forward in CCC play.

“I think we can compete in league and I think these past five weeks will help us going into league,” Martinez said.