SOLEDAD — With a 28-7 scoring outburst in the second half against Pacific Grove, the Soledad High football team kept itself in contention for a Central Coast Section playoffs spot, as senior running back Julio Camacho scored three touchdowns on the ground and one in the air for the Aztecs to claim a 42-21 Homecoming victory on Friday night.
“Finally our team offense culminated with strong running and better passing efficiency,” said Soledad head coach Marc Villanueva. “Julio Camacho had a good game running the ball and our quarterback Daniel Valenzuela was impressive running our plays and made adjustments against the Pacific Grove defense. He has the ability to improvise with the pass and run when he needs to.”
In the first quarter, the Breakers took a 7-0 lead with a six-yard run by Garrett Kuska and a successful point-after attempt by Paul Ramirez. With 1:32 left in the initial quarter, Camacho scored on a two-yard run and place kicker Ivan Gaytan tied the contest at 7-7 with a PAT of his own.
Pacific Grove had a good return on the kickoff and regained the lead with a 36-yard touchdown reception on a pass from quarterback Brody Edmonds. A Ramirez PAT put the Breakers ahead by a 14-7 score.
Near the end of the second quarter, Soledad receiver Joshua Grover gained 33 yards on a pass from Valenzuela, and Camacho drove the ball toward the end zone with a 28-yard run. With time running out, Valenzuela called his own number and cut the lead to 14-13 with a five-yard touchdown run. Gayton then tied the game with his second PAT of the game.
At the halftime intermission, seniors Danny Morales and Mariana Leon were announced as the Homecoming King and Queen.
In the third quarter, Pacific Grove broke the tie with a touchdown pass play from Edmonds to Andrew Nimri and a Ramirez PAT to lead by a 21-14 score.
Unfortunately for the Breakers, the Aztecs would dominate the rest of the second half with two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown reception by Camacho and a reception for a touchdown by Ayden Raso.
Camacho’s first second-half score was a 45-yard run play to tie the game at 21-21, and then late in the third quarter, Valenzuela threw a 28-yard pass to Raso to push the lead to 28-21. Soledad secured the Homecoming victory with Camacho’s 11-yard and 23-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Gaytan was successful on all his second-half PATs.
Camacho finished the game with 228 rushing yards on 25 carries, and Valenzuela added 45 yards on 12 carries and passed for 153 yards on a five-of-eight passing performance. Grover led Soledad with three receptions for 80 yards. The Aztecs had 428 total yards of offense, including 275 rushing yards.
On the defensive end, Coach Villanueva praised the play of freshman linebacker Daniel Garcia and defensive ends Chris Rua-Chico and Joshua Glover.
At 4-3 overall and with a 2-1 record in the Mission Division, Soledad is in fourth place in division standings and has three games left in the regular season.
The Aztecs will host the Greenfield Bruins this Friday, travel to Salinas on Nov. 2 for a game at Rabobank against North Salinas, and finish the division season on Nov. 8 on the road at King City.
