Murrieta Valley beats San Clemente: Score, results, highlights from California high school football game

Lance Smith

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Murrieta Valley beats San Clemente: Score, results, highlights from California high school football game image

Katie Stratman for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn

Murrieta Valley defeated San Clemente 26-14 on Friday in a defensive battle without too much drama.

RB Jeremiah Watson ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns for the Nighthawks, and Oklahoma-bound DB/WR Derrick Johnson II had two of their three interceptions in addition an impressive touchdown catch from QB Ty Isaia.

After an interception from Jaxson Rex, San Clemente struck first on a touchdown from Eiler King to Shane Kiley. The Tritons took a 7-6 lead into the second quarter after Isaia threw his first touchdown of the night to Caden Brown and Murrieta Valley failed on its ensuing attempt.

The next two-and-a-half quarters were all Murrieta Valley, although San Clemente's defense remained solid. Johnson's highlight touchdown came shortly before halftime to put Murrieta Valley up 13-7. Earlier in the second quarter, Johnson and Joseph Rodriguez both grabbed interceptions. Then Watson ran for his first touchdown with 6:07 left in the third to go up 20-7 following Johnson's second pick. Murrieta Valley's defense held deep inside its own territory for a turnover-on-downs later in the third, and with 9:37 left in the game, Murrieta Valley managed to recover its own punt around midfield after it deflected off a Triton.

San Clemente wasn't done though. After getting a stop, it nursed a patient drive that Carson Sloan finished with a rushing score to cut its deficit to 20-14 with 5:24 left.

But the Tritons weren't able to tie up the game, and Watson ran home another touchdown with 1:04 remaining to ice it.

Murrieta Valley (4-1) begins Big West - Upper play next week against Norco as the favorite to nab its second consecutive runner-up finish – unless it can upset Corona Centennial, which is currently ranked third in California and sixth in the country.

Scroll down for a pregame overview followed by live scoring and results.

Pregame

If we've said it once, we've said it a million times – San Clemente can never be counted out at home no matter the team it's hosting. Look no further than 2021 when the Tritons suffered one of the more jarring regular season losses in recent program history, a 42-0 road demolition at the hands of Edison (Huntington Beach), before coming home and shocking higher-ranked Murrieta Valley 21-20 in the final minutes. With losses to Tustin and La Costa Canyon on the season, San Clemente is a fairly heavy underdog here, but it also has three quality wins already over Riverton (UT), Chaparral, and Chino Hills. No. 19 Murrieta Valley is coming off two blowout wins after starting with a 28-26 win over Rancho Cucamonga and 56-35 loss to Servite, and it could really use even more momentum before starting Big West - Upper play next week.

Final score, results, highlights

Murrieta Valley wins 26-14.

4TH QUARTER:

1:21 – Murrieta Valley 26, San Clemente 14: This one appears to be over after Watson powers through traffic for a short Murrieta Valley touchdown.

5:24 – Murrieta Valley 20, San Clemente 14: San Clemente is not done yet. Carson Sloan runs it to cap a patient Tritons touchdown drive.

9:37: Murrieta Valley continues putting nails in the coffin – although there is plenty of time left if San Clemente can mount a comeback. The Nighthawks manage to recover their own punt after it apparently deflected after a Triton. That moves them from deep inside their own territory to near midfield with a new set of downs.

3RD QUARTER:

LATE Q3: Nighthawks turn San Clemente over on downs deep inside their own territory.

6:07 – Murrieta Valley 20, San Clemente 7: Murrieta Valley has taken control of the game after scoring on a short run from Jeremiah Watson. It was set up by Johnson II's second pick of the game, which was the Nighthawks' third.

Murrieta Valley leads 13-7 at halftime.

2ND QUARTER:

Late Q2 – Murrieta Valley 13, San Clemente 7: The Nighthawks extend their lead in the waning seconds of the first half on a Johnson II touchdown catch through contact from Isaia.

Late Q2: Murrieta Valley has its second pick of the quarter and game, this time from Oklahoma commit Derrick Johnson II. He made it in the red zone and returned it to the Nighthawks' own 40, give or take a few yards.

Q2: Murrieta Valley takes over on a Joseph Rodriguez interception.

1ST QUARTER:

Q1 – San Clemente 7, Murrieta Valley 6: The Nighthawks respond quickly on a touchdown from Ty Isaia to Caden Brown.

Q1 – San Clemente 7, Murrieta Valley 0: San Clemente capitalizes on the pick and strikes first as Eiler King finds Shane Kiley in the corner of the end zone.

Q1: San Clemente's Jaxson Rex ends the first drive of the game by grabbing an interception.

San Clemente vs. Murrieta Valley start time

  • Date: Friday, Sep. 26
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. PT

The opening kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, Sep. 26. The game will be played at San Clemente High School.

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    Lance Smith

    Lance has covered high school basketball, football and softball since 2019. A graduate of The USC Marshall School of Business, Smith dabbles in linear algebra and football and basketball computer rankings.