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Holtville Swats Hornets, 42-18
HOLTVILLE — The Holtville High football team continues to steamroll opponents, finishing the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record after the Vikings punished Calipatria, 42-18, in the annual Axe Game at Birger Field in Holtville on Thursday, Oct. 31.
With the win, the Vikings (10-0 overall, 3-0 in Desert League) wrap up the Desert League championship and improve their record in Axe Games to 13-2 dating back to the rivalry game’s beginnings in 2009. Holtville has won eight straight Axe Games with the only wins for the Hornets coming in the inaugural game in 2009 and in 2016.
Calipatria (7-2 overall, 2-1 in the DL) finishes in second place in the DL, followed by Vincent Memorial Catholic (6-3 overall, 1-2 in DL) in third and Palo Verde Valley of Blythe in fourth (2-8 overall, 0-3 in DL).
Overall, Holtville has been a juggernaut through the 10-game season, scoring 490 points while allowing just 60, including five shutouts. The Vikings’ winning streak sits at 17 after they won their final seven games of 2023, including the CIF-San Diego Section Division V-AA championship game over Army-Navy Academy of Carlsbad.
“We talked to them about them forever being linked in Holtville history with an undefeated season,” said Jason Turner, the Vikings’ head coach. “Yes, we’ve played well, but I think there’s more in there. I think there’s another gear these guys can get to and I hope we see it in the playoffs.”
On Thursday, the Vikings started quick, scoring on the fifth play of the game after taking the opening kickoff at their own 30-yard line. Five running plays, including a 53-yard scamper from junior Enrique Armas, and the Vikings were in the end zone when Armas scored on a five-yard run. Junior Axel Gomez ran in the two-point conversion and Holtville was up 8-0 with 10:21 left in the opening quarter.
Calipatria found its offense with 5:30 to go in the first quarter when the Hornets went on an 11-play, 47-yard march down the field that ended on the first play of the second quarter with a four-yard Jordan Potter touchdown run. They failed to convert the two-point attempt, leaving the score 8-6 with 11:56 left in the half.
That score seemed to inspire the Holtville team as the Vikings would rattle off three second-quarter touchdowns while allowing just two first downs to Calipatria in the quarter.
Holtville got an eight-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Alonso Cuevas to junior receiver Raul Briseno with 9:53 left in the half to make it 16-6.
With 3:48 left in the half, the Vikings got an 11-yard touchdown run from senior Hector Sanchez that came after an electrifying 65-yard catch-and-run from Briseno off a short Cuevas pass to put the Vikings at the Hornets’ 15-yard line.
“All of their defensive backs seemed to be pressing up so when I caught the ball I was able to make a few moves and get down the sideline,” Briseno said. “Our team is like a family and we were going to work hard to get to 10-0 and get another championship.”
With a 22-6 lead, Holtville took advantage of a final possession of the half to rattle off a six-play, 45-yard drive that took less than a minute and finished with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Cuevas to Armas with 26 seconds left to increase the lead to 28-6.
The Hornets took the second-half kickoff and marched 57 yards in seven plays with Potter finishing the drive with his second four-yard touchdown run to pull Calipatria to 28-12 with 7:58 left in the third quarter.
Holtville was able to answer that with its own eight-play, 61-yard scoring drive that finished with Armas’ second rushing touchdown, this time from two yards out. He also ran in the two-point conversion to make it 36-12 with 4:35 left in the quarter.
Calipatria fumbled on its next possession with the Vikings’ Andres Fregoso falling on the loose ball at the Hornets’ 19-yard line. One play later Holtville cashed in the turnover with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Cuevas to junior Bradyn Terrill for a 42-12 lead with 2:03 left in the quarter.
The only score of the fourth quarter was a 40-yard touchdown run from Potter, his third of the game, to make the final 42-18. Potter finished the game with nine carries for 65 yards and three touchdowns.
Leading the way for the Vikings was Armas who rushed for 103 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns, plus added a receiving touchdown. Cuevas threw three touchdown passes and completed 9-of-15 passes for 169 yards. Briseno was the leading receiver on the night with three catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Both teams will now wait and see where they are slotted for the playoffs. Prior to the Thursday game, Holtville was a top team in the CIF-SDS Division III bracket while Calipatria was the top seed in the Division V-AA playoff scenario.
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