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Tigers crush Frontier 56-21 Friday night and move to Division II title game at Central Valley Christian, slated for 7 p.m.
If the Tigers, 11-1, defeat Division II finalist Central Valley Christian (12-0) on Friday, November 25, in Visalia, it would be only the second CIF Central Section championship in the school’s modern history. The last title came in 2005 in the Division III championship game at Yosemite High School, where the Tigers defeated their hosts 45-19 on what was a very cold evening.
This time around, the Tigers and its coaching staff, led by Rich Tuman, hope to win its second CIF Central Section title on Friday, November 25, when they face the powerful Central Valley Christian High School Cavaliers, a team that – like Lemoore – has run up big scores while compiling a perfect 12-0 record.
Gametime is 7 p.m. in Visalia.
And, like Lemoore, CVC has put up big numbers in reaching the Division II title game. CVC defeated Hanford in one of their narrowest victories, 50-41, to earn the right to host Lemoore in the finale. Lemoore defeated the Bullpups 42-15.
Another common opponent was Washington Union, a team Lemoore defeated easily 56-35. CVC pounded out a 42-12 win over the Panthers.
Add Selma High School to the mix. It was another common opponent, and a team CVC beat 64-13. The Tigers won big, too, defeating the Bears 78-6 in the season opener.
However, the 11-1 Tigers (their only loss to a 40-14 loss to Clovis West) will likely have their hands full with the 12-0 Cavaliers.
The Tigers tuned up for Central Valley Christian with yet another blowout win, a 56-21 victory Friday night in Tiger Stadium against Frontier High School. The win continued Lemoore’s almost season-long scoring blitz as the Tigers won the right to take on powerful CVC.
The potent Tigers offense took charge early with a 21-7 first-quarter blitz that set the stage for the upcoming victory. Lemoore added a pair of scores in the second period and led 35-21 at the half. Preston Scott scored the Tigers' third TD on a touchdown pass to take a 21-7 lead.
Anthony Garcia followed with a touchdown run with about three minutes left in the second quarter to put his team up 28-7. Frontier followed shortly after with a touchdown pass with about two minutes remaining in the first half to cut the gap to 28-14.
It appears the final two minutes of the first half may have set the stage for Lemoore’s big win. Frontier scored again on a touchdown pass with about a minute left in the first half to cut the gap to 28-21.
Lemoore wasn’t about to be undone when quarterback Ty Chambers upped the margin to 34-21, and with Jayden Evangelo’s PAT, the Tigers went into the half leading 35-21.
Early in the second half, Anthony Garcia scored for Lemoore, upping the margin to 42-21. Soon, it was 49-21 when Chambers scored again with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
Running back Andrew Moench scored to up the margin to 56-21, while Frontier failed to mount a second-half rally in the second half.
