Tigers fall in home opener as Tulare Western powers past Lemoore 46-7. Sanger in town Friday

Saturday, September 7, 2019 - 9:20am By The Leader Staff

Lemoore quarterback Justin Holaday scored his team's only touchdown, a 9-yard-run, in the third quarter.

Photo by Bill Burris

It was a good night to play football. The weather was picture perfect, and Lemoore was hoping to improve to 2-1 on the season as it prepared to play the first of four straight home games. Unfortunately, the Tigers will have to wait until next week’s matchup in Tiger Stadium against Sanger as it seeks its second win.

Friday night in Lemoore belonged to a surprisingly potent Tulare Western squad, which from the outset, humbled the home-town Tigers as the Mustangs improved to 3-0 on the year, crushing Lemoore 46-7, most of their points coming in an explosive first half.

The Tigers fell to 1-2 on the season as it prepares for Friday’s game against powerful Sanger in Tiger Stadium. Sanger is 2-1 on the year and defeated Clovis East Friday night 21-14. Lemoore fell to Clovis East 35-0 in its opener.

Leading the Mustang charge Friday night was quarterback Elijah Burrell, a surprisingly nimble play-caller who threw for five touchdown passes to lead his team to the win.

Early in the first period, Burrell found R.J. Holmes from the Lemoore 20-yard-line to take the early lead 7-0.

Lemoore's Chris Taylor speeds around end for a first down.

Photo by Bill Burris

Lemoore’s first possession went nowhere when running back, Elijah Jones was stopped cold on the first play from scrimmage, and a Holaday pass to Jones fell incomplete. Holaday did complete a short pass, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers were forced to give up the ball.

Western failed to move the ball on its next possession and with 5:22 left in the quarter attempted a fake punt, but a penalty nullified the play. Tulare punted, and the Tigers got the ball on their town 10-yard line but were soon forced to punt from their 6-yard line.

Tulare scored again on an 11-yard pass from Burrell to Mark Smith to up the margin to 14.

Just moments later, Tulare Western offensive lineman Isidro Salazar came up with a deflected pass from Holaday and promptly fell into the end zone for the score, upping Western’s lead to 20-0 at the end of the first period.

From there it was all downhill as the Tigers gave up three more touchdowns in the second quarter as the Mustangs went into the half with a commanding 40-0 lead.

Lemoore’s only score came in the final period when Holaday scored on a 9-yard run. Tulare Western’s only second-half touchdown came on a Burrell 6-yard pass to Jose Valencia.

Lemoore’s leading rusher was William Kloster with 29 yards. Elijah Jones finished with 27 yards on the night. Holaday went 9 for 20 with three interceptions and 84 yards. Burrell was 13 for 22 for 175 yards.