Coaches and players learned Sunday afternoon that they would make the long bus drive to Oakland, where they will match up with McClymonds High School in a 7:30 p.m. game on Friday, Dec. 2.
The winner of the Lemoore game will face the winner between Downey High School and Mater Dei Catholic. The championship will be held at Saddleback College on Dec. 9 at 4 p.m.
The McClymond’s Warriors were 11-1 in Oakland, their only loss, a 39-21 defeat at the hands of Pittsburg, and like Lemoore, the Warriors put up big numbers, including three games with 60 or more points scored.
The Tigers earned their trip to the Division II playoffs thanks to their convincing Friday night win over Central Valley Christian.
Lemoore’s high-scoring varsity football team may have entered Friday night’s Division II football championship as a slight underdog against what many saw as a powerful Central Valley Christian (CVC) team. However, the Tiger faithful sort of knew they had something special with this group of overachievers, and their young Tigers proved their fans right, outlasting their hosts Friday night on CVC’s home turf beating the Cavaliers 62-46 and winning the Valley Division II title in the process.
The final score was 62-46, as the Tigers (12-1) upended the previously unbeaten Cavaliers, who had come into Friday night’s game boasting an impressive 12-0 record while residing atop the Valley Division II standings.
Lemoore saw exceptional performances from several Tigers, including their quarterback, Ty Chambers, who tossed six touchdown passes to lead the Tigers to victory and a spot in the Division II playoffs, expected to be revealed on Sunday.
Lemoore, 12-1, have won 10 straight since losing a non-league game to potent Clovis West and will find out soon where they play in the CIF regionals.
After falling behind early in the first quarter 21-7, Lemoore responded with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, scoring four times in the third to and 13 more in the final period to outlast their hosts 62-46.
CVC scored first with a 3-yard rushing TD and still upped the ante to a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter. Lemoore’s Kobe Green finally hit paydirt when he ran back an 81-yard kickoff for a touchdown cutting the gap to 14-7, still in the first period.
CVC hit right back, upping the margin to it 21-7 with about five minutes left in the first when CVC’s Bryan Donelson scored on a 63-yard rushing TD.
Now trailing 21-7, Lemoore finally scored again at about the five-minute mark of the second quarter when Tiger quarterback Ty Chambers tossed a 77-yard pass to Kobe Green for a touchdown to cut the gap to 21-14.
And, with just two minutes left in the first half, the Tigers tied the game at 21 apiece with Andrew Moench’s two-yard touchdown. Jayden Evangelo’s point after kick secured the 21-21 tied going into the half.
Early in the second half, Chambers tossed his second TD pass, this time a 70-yarder to Demel Turner, as Lemoore took the lead 28-21.
CVC’s Donelson responded quickly, scoring on a 40-yard run to tie the game at 28-28.
With about six minutes left in the third, Chambers connected again on a 13-yard pass to Kobe Green, the receiver’s second TD of the night to regain the lead at 35-28.
CVC responded with another Donelson touchdown from seven yards out to cut the gap to just one point at 35-34. CVC missed the extra point.
At about two minutes left in the third, Chambers connected with Preston Scott for a 60-yard touchdown at a 41-34 advantage.
Still in the third, CVC’s quarterback Zach Zwart completed a past to Brandt Munger for a touchdown to cut the gap to 42-40, again missing the extra point.
Another Chambers pass, this time a 43-yard to Demel Turner for a touchdown, upped the lead to 49-40 with under a minute remaining in the third.
Another TD pass for 40 yards from Chambers to Kobe Green gave the Tigers some cushion room at 56-40 with about nine minutes remaining in the second half.
Lemoore’s Anthony Garcia capped off some solid running with a six-yard touchdown with about two minutes left in the contest putting Lemoore up 62-46.
