IMPERIAL — The Imperial Valley Knights’ 2013 season got off to a rocky start at Shimamoto-Simpson Stadium, as they fell 15-14 to the Southern Cal Elite of Whittier here Saturday night.
“What you witnessed today was the holidays,” linebacker Justin Sandoval said. “Our defense kept us in the entire game, but we have a lot of things we need to work on.
“A lot of people were gone over Christmas and New Year’s, so there was a lot of miscommunication tonight,” the 2008 Brawley Union High graduate said.
The Knights “gave this game away,” said Knights coach Sean Johnson, by following up outstanding rushes by 2009 Central Union High grad Jeremiah Silva and various jaw-dropping plays by former Southwest High player Rashad Jones with sloppy performances.
Sandoval, for his part, was in the Elite’s backfield almost as much as their running backs, collecting some 15 tackles and two of the team’s three recovered fumbles.
The Elite kicked a 35-yard field goal early in the contest, but Imperial Valley’s sole professional team struck back with a 7-yard touchdown pass from 2008 Southwest graduate Hector Ayala to Alabama native Jeff Brown.
Southern Cal then notched a 19-yard touchdown run to lead 9-8 at halftime.
Ayala found Brown, the team’s tall tight end, for an 8-yard toss early in the fourth quarter to take a 14-9 lead.
But the quarterback’s fourth turnover of the night — three of them interceptions — late in the game put the Elite in a position to win off a four-yard rushing touchdown.
Plenty of rough extracurricular activity occurred between both teams, with Sandoval having to frog march one of the Knights’ bench players back to the locker room.
But the participants of the two minor league football teams let bygones be bygones afterward, mixing for dual pep talks from each coach and even a combined prayer.
The 15-14 loss was certainly not how Johnson wanted his team to play a year after winning the Great West Football League championship in Las Vegas.
“We feel we didn’t play the best game,” he said. “Against a team with a lot of Division I players, we can’t afford to do that.
“We’re looking to grow from this loss and eliminate the mental mistakes,” Johnson said.
The Knights now play in the Pac West Football League with the Elite and three other teams, with Saturday’s contest being the first of several weeks’ worth of interesting match-ups.
The best part of this new outlook — other than the fact that the season will provide local football fans with some much-needed games past the Super Bowl — is the prize that lies at the end of the season.
“Our goal is to go back and repeat,” Johnson said. “Now that we’re in the Pac West, our champion will play the winner of the Great West.”
Johnson is certainly up for the chance to be the champions of two different leagues in as many years.
Those interested in the Imperial Valley Knights are encouraged to like their page on Facebook and visit the Pac West League’s website at http://www.pac-westfootballleague.info/
The Knights will host the San Diego Thundercats at Imperial on Saturday.
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
