By Matt Shuler
After bouncing around from stadium to stadium last year, the Saints of San Dimas finally got a home field to call thier own. They welcomed the community to a non-ticketed grand opening of their brand new and renovated all weather track and turf field and started things off right with a dominating 50-7 win over visiting Azusa for the fans.
San Dimas’s Jake Payton led the offensive onslaught accumulating over 200 total yards and three touchdowns. Payton scored on runs of 25 & 5 yards, but also had a big play on the receiving end early in second quarter.
Quarterback Josh Avila found Payton running free down the seem and hit him in stride for a 56 yard touchdown, making it 21-7 with 9:22 on the clock. The performance by Payton leaves him with a total of six touchdowns in two games and the junior continues to excel.
Azusa failed to put up points on the board and took a big blow after main offensive weapon Jesus Arteaga was carried off by stretcher early in the fourth. Arteaga was the lone offensive force for Azusa’ scoring the only touchdown.
On third down, Aztec quarterback Jose ledesma threw up a prayer in Arteaga’s direction and the versatile team leader created space between him and the defender, came down with the catch, and cruised into the endzone for a 60-yard touchdown knotting the game at 7 with under five minutes to play in the first.
Arteaga lined up at receiver, running back, quarterback, and kicker for the Aztecs. He also had a missed field goal that went just right and pressured into an interception by the aggravating Saints Defense.
But the more touches Payton received, the more he drew flashes of a Payton named Walter, and the more the score separated.
At the end of the third the score was 36-7.
Cameron Blackburn played well on special teams and defense for the Aztecs as he came up with a couple good kick returns and an interception.
It all toppled over for Azusa when a long snap over the punter’s head sailed into the endzone for a safety and a 9-7 lead for SD in the third.
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