Patriot football team comes up short against Silverado – Press Enterprise

JURUPA VALLEY —  It takes a little bit more to beat a reigning CIF Southern Section champion.

Patriot rallied in the second half with two touchdowns but it wasn’t enough in a 20-13 loss to Silverado in a nonleague game at Rubidoux High on Thursday night.

“(Silverado) came to play. We had to match that intensity,” Patriot coach Chris Fowler said. “We didn’t match it in the first half. We did in the second half but hey, you have to play two good halves to win a football game.”

The Warriors (2-1 overall) were limited to less than 200 total rushing yards for the first time this season.

“We didn’t have a great week of practice and like I told the guys, ‘What happens on the practice field comes back to bite us here,’” Fowler said.

Nathan Villanueva, who had consecutive 100-yard rushing performances to start the season, was held to 75 yards on 20 carries.

“Teams are bringing eight- and nine-man fronts because we run the ball so well,” Fowler said.

A defensive deadlock after a scoreless first quarter, Silverado’s Aumaurieon Bailey finished off a nine-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run inside the right tackle to give last season’s Division 10 champs an early advantage.

“It seemed like we came out pretty flat but winning hides things,” Silverado coach Keron Jones said.

Silverado defensive back Jarmarri Tharpe intercepted a tipped pass from Villanueva and returned it 19 yards to the 7 before Jayden Jones lobbed it to Jayden Pauling in the corner of the end zone for a 13-0 lead after the missed extra-point attempt.

Patriot produced just two first downs and 51 yards with six procedure penalties in the first half.

“We played horribly in the first half,” Fowler said. “In the second half, we came back, moved the ball and played like we’re capable of playing.”

Seemingly renewed by the break, Patriot rolled off a 12-play, 66-yard drive to start the third quarter and made it 13-6 following a 21-yard touchdown run by Villanueva.

The game took a turn on Silverado’s next possession after Jones was sacked and fumbled on third down. Grant Jones picked up the ball and scampered 37 yards across the goal line to help tie the game.

“Our defense is playing lights out right now and taking away what the other team wants to do,” Fowler said.

In the fourth quarter, Silverado turned the ball over on downs after Jones tackled Pauling behind the line on a fake punt on fourth down.

On the ensuing drive, Patriot ran the ball to inside the 20 but was flagged for a false start and pushed back 5 yards before Xavier Sanchez’s 41-yard field-goal attempt fell short of the cross bar.

“With the penalty, if it was five yards closer then we make it,” Fowler said.

The miss gave Silverado the ball back at its own 20 with less than 5 minutes remaining.

“They kind of kicked our teeth in a little bit, but it was just a matter of getting our guys settled down and focused,” Jones said.

Bailey ran for a first down, Jones hit Pauling for a 33-yard gain and again for another 10 yards before Bailey finished the drive and the game with a 25-yard run up the middle for a touchdown.

Patriot’s final possession fizzled near midfield after Silverado’s defense pushed Villanueva out of bounds as time expired.