In the nine years so far of the CIF state bowl games, there’s been one Concord school in the event every year and if you don’t know which school that is you probably have never been on the CalHiSports.com web site in your life.
For more on Redlands East Valley’s win over Ridgeview in the CIF Southern California Division II bowl game, CLICK HERE.
This year, however, there will be two from the East Bay community playing for state titles in back-to-back games next Saturday at the StubHub Center in Carson and will be going against two schools from California’s Inland Empire.
Miles Harrison has been breaking off big runs all season. Photo: Willie Eashman.
The REV-Clayton Valley matchup should be high-scoring, but if the Ugly Eagle defense keeps playing like it has been, maybe not. One week after beating Concord High 33-7 (which was a team that scored 40 on Clayton Valley earlier in the season), the Ugly Eagles held Oakdale to a meaningless fourth quarter touchdown while leading 28-0.
After struggling on its first few possessions of the game against Oakdale’s defense, Clayton Valley got going and scored on three straight series en route to getting the victory.
Senior Miles Harrison was again the focal point for the Ugly Eagles’ offense. He had a pair of 8-yard runs for TDs to give them a 14-0 lead and then scored again on a 1-yard run to cap a second-half opening drive. Harrison finished with 33 carries for 238 yards.
“Coming in I was really nervous because Oakdale plays so hard and outworks teams, but it’s been our defense the last two weeks,” said Clayton Valley head coach Tim Murphy. “The defense was amazing.”
Three Ugly Eagles’ senior linebackers had great games, despite all being undersized. Rich Peralta had 19 tackles and now has 167 for the season. He will need five tackles next week to set a new school record. Elijah Breon recorded 18 tackles while Eric Burkley had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Oakdale’s only TD came on 55-yard run by C.J. Domingo with 2:28 left in the game. The Mustangs, who beat Clayton Valley two years ago in the same NorCal D2 bowl game before losing to Gardena Serra in the D2 state bowl game, finished 13-2.
Note: Harold Abend contributed to this story.
