MidValleySports.Com

Chris Solomon has Bulldogs primed for playoff run.

(Pomona) The West Covina Bulldogs scored 28 unanswered first half points and dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage and soundly defeated the Diamond Ranch Panthers 41-10 Friday night at Nancy J. McCracken field at Ganesha High School.

The Bulldogs wasted no time getting the scoring barrage started needing only three plays to go 66-yards on their opening drive. Charles Tucker found a seam in the Panther defense and went 38-yards to paydirt.

It was the West Covina defense who set the Bulldogs up for their next score. The Panther’s Cesar Carrillo dropped back to pass and was picked off by Jimmy Frasier of West Covina. Frasier returned the interception to the Diamond Ranch 20. Three plays later Aaron Salgado punched it in from three yards away. Rigo Castillo booted the extra point to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 advantage with a little over three minutes left in the opening quarter.

Jacoby Carter filling in for the injured Chase Price was the focus of the Panther offense in the first half but struggled to get any momentum going against the motivated Bulldog defense. Carter finished the game with 118-yards on 21 carries.

West Covina extended their lead two minutes into the second quarter when George Johnson found Marcus Haigler beyond the Panther defense for a 36-yard touchdown strike.

Diamond Ranch did mount a sustained drive midway through the second period. Looking for a big play for some needed inspiration, Carrillo fired a pass over the middle looking for Andrew Fisher. Carrillo didn’t see West Covina’s Chris Solomon who dropped into coverage. Solomon intercepted Carrillo’s pass and returned it to the Bulldog 30. Solomon paid the price for the pick getting taken down on a brutal facemask tackle. Solomon was uninjured and the penalty took the ball out to the West Covina 45.

Exacting a little payback for the rough tackle, Solomon capped the 55-yard drive with a six yard touchdown run giving West Covina a huge advantage. Solomon was stellar for the Bulldogs gaining 142 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go with the interception.

Diamond Ranch found some success as time was running down in the first half. An 11 play drive stalled at the Bulldog 20 and Jeff Stamps came on to drill a 37-yard field goal.

The Panther defense did their part in the third quarter shutting out the Bulldog offense and getting a turnover on a fumble by B.J. Lee.

Even though Diamond Ranch didn’t convert the turnover into points they were the first team to get into the endzone in the second half. Carrillo found Richard Harris near the Panther sideline and Harris did the rest outracing the Bulldog defense to the endzone.

The 28-10 deficit was a close a Diamond Ranch would get as Solomon and Lee added two more scores on runs of three and 12-yards.