By Johnathan Saller
(Diamond Bar)– Chris Solomon showed flashes of brilliance for the West Covina Bulldogs in a 35-17 victory over the Diamond Bar Brahmas at Holmes Memorial Stadium Friday.
“He’s getting healthier each week…he’s close to one-hundred percent,” Bulldogs head coach Mike Maggiore said. “He’s still not where he was but at eighty-percent he’s pretty good still.”
If Solomon is only at eighty-percent the Hacienda league better take notice. With a backfield of Solomon, Jimmy Frazier, and Aaron Salgado, West Covina looks loaded for bear as the running attack combined for 331-yards with five touchdowns on 46 carries.
The Brahmas started off the scoring on its first possession with a 47-yard field goal from kicker Brian Drulias.
The three-headed monster took over and on seven straight rushes Solomon capped off the drive with a 29-yard scamper that saw him hop over the defensive line and scoot into the endzone for the score.
After the teams exchanged a few punts West Covina found itself in a fourth and long situation at midfield. Salgado, also the punter, took the snap and surprised the Diamond Bar defense, rushing for 25-yards and the first down deep in Brahmas’ territory.
“We saw it on film,” Maggiore said. “When you have a guy like Salgado punting, he’s a pretty explosive running back so he’s a dual threat. Now hopefully it keeps teams a little more honest.”
Bulldogs quarterback Chris Caballero ran an empty bootleg to the left and rushed into the endzone for an easy four yard score to put the Bulldogs up 14-3.
On Diamond Bar’s ensuring drive, Gus Vilches intercepted quarterback Henry Omana giving West Covina an opportunity to pad its lead going into the half.
Solomon did just that scoring on the fourth play of the drive from five yards out putting the Bulldogs up 21-3.
Late in the third quarter Omana made things interesting for the Brahmas, connecting on a 41-yard scoring strike to receiver George Katrib on a broken play.
“Their quarterback did a great job…he’s mobile and [Katrib] is as good a receiver as there is in the area so we knew they were [going to] pass.,” Maggiore said. “I thought we did a really good job in the first half on defense and then they got a few things going and we gave up an easy one on a scheme thing…you hate to do that but overall I’m happy with the effort.”
The final dagger came on the third play of the following Bulldogs’ drive when Solomon, on his way to a 46 yard score, cut back so sharp it saw two Diamond Bar defenders run into each other.
“We have some younger kids that are having to step up and I’m happy with the way they played,” Maggiore said. “We’ve won three games on the last play of the game and it’s a lot easier on the heart and nerves winning this way.”
Next week West Covina (4-1) hosts Walnut and Diamond Bar (2-3) is at home against Diamond Ranch.
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