MidValleySports.Com

Saint Running Back Dominic Jollevette looks towards the playoffs

By Josh Ouellette

(La Verne)- San Dimas secured second place in the Valle Vista by defeating Pomona 36-31 Thursday night at Bonita High School’s Glenn Davis Field.

Sir-Darius Yabrough got the Red Devils off on the right foot when he took the second play of the opening drive for a 64-yard touchdown down the right hash, bursting by the SD defenders.

The Devils scored again, and again on the second play of their drive. With a short field at the San Dimas 42 Brandin Schreiman found Yabrough for a 25 yard pass, and following the Saints penalty on the play, Pomona was given a first and goal at the nine.

On the ensuing play Yabrough burst through his blockers, only to meet a San Dimas defender at the three, but he couldn’t be stopped. Lowering his pads he knocked a Saint player into the end zone for his second touchdown.

Following the Saints third straight three-and-out a Yabrough 23-yard run set up the Devil’s kicker Albert Reyes-Villareal for a 39-yard field goal to give Pomona a 17-0 lead with the first quarter coming to a close.

On their next drive San Dimas quarterback Shawn Kennedy, after several drops by his receivers at the start of the game, got his first completion on a short pass to Dillon Corona.

The veteran Corona couldn’t be kept out of the end zone as he reversed his direction and broke tackles until he found the space he needed to take it the rest of the way for the 50-yard score. The score now 17-7 with 10:56 left in the first half.

On Pomona’s next drive Yabrough caught the short pass from Schreiman but to fumbled the ball, and San Dimas was in business at the Red Devil 22.  A Pomona penalty moved the ball to the 11.

Kennedy would find Corona again, this time from six yards out to cut the deficit to only three points with 7:55 left to go in the half.

Minutes later SD found themselves in great field possession beginning at the 36 of Pomona. First down runs by Jake Payton and Dominic Jollevet set up Corona for the 10-yard blast, carrying a Devil defender into the touchdown as he scored for the third time under seven minutes. After a failed two-point conversion the Saints gained the lead 20-17.

Corona would tack on a 22-yard field goal right before the break giving San Dimas the lead at the half 23-17.

The Saints opened the second half with the ball and went on an 80-yard 5:04 drive utilizing Devante Brown, who had 51 yards on four carries, including the two yard sprint to the right of the endzone, to expand on the San Dimas lead. Another failed two-point attempt made the score 29-17 with 6:56 left in the third quarter.

Pomona would come up with a crucial defensive play for itself with only 1:25 remaining in the third. On a first and 20 SD’s Payton fumbled the ball deep in Red Devil territory only to have Ghiani Woods scoop it up and return it 65 yards for the score and to bring his team within five, 29-24.

San Dimas drove the ball 80 yards downfield for the score again, with all four Saint running backs getting involved running the ball. Jollevet finished it off with a five yard burst passed the goal line for the score. The score now 36-24, in favor of the Saints.

Pomona would ride the Yabrough express downfield one more time to threaten late. Schreiman found Sir-Darius for a 44-yard pass, on the third play of the drive. On the ensuing play Yabrough dashed the remaining 10 yards in for the score.

Following the San Dimas (8-2, 5-1) recovery of the onside kick, the Saints ran clock out, securing their spot in the CIF Mid-Valley Division Playoff Bracket.

Pomona (6-4, 4-2) has shot at one of the at-large bids in this year’s playoffs. Brackets come out on Sunday.