Murrieta Valley used a bruising ground game and timely defensive stops to defeat San Clemente 26-14 on Friday night in front of a packed crowd of more than 1,000 fans. The muggy evening created a fast tempo early, and both teams wasted no time trading blows.
San Clemente struck first midway through the opening quarter when quarterback Eiler King connected with Shane Kileyfor an 8-yard touchdown, giving the Tritons a 7-0 lead. Murrieta Valley answered quickly, with Ty Isaia finding Caden Brown for a 17-yard score, though the missed PAT left the Nighthawks trailing 7-6.
From there, turnovers shaped the game. San Clemente’s offense stumbled with multiple interceptions, including two by Murrieta Valley’s Derrick Johnson II, one of which set up the go-ahead drive just before halftime. Johnson’s clutch grab led to a 15-yard scoring strike from him to Isaia, giving the Nighthawks a 13-7 halftime advantage.
After the break, Jeremiah Watson took over. The senior running back pounded the Tritons’ defense with relentless runs, capping an 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 20-7. San Clemente clawed back in the fourth quarter with a determined 13-yard rushing touchdown by Carson Sloan, trimming the deficit to 20-14.
But with time winding down, Watson delivered the dagger. Breaking tackles and wearing down the Tritons’ front, he ripped off back-to-back long runs, the second carrying him to the 1-yard line. Moments later, he powered in for his second touchdown of the night, sealing Murrieta Valley’s 26-14 win.
The Nighthawks’ defense held strong late, anchored by Joseph Rodriguez, who notched a critical sack in the fourth quarter. San Clemente’s final push stalled inside Murrieta territory as time expired.
Murrieta Valley improves with a statement win built on resilience, turnovers, and Watson’s punishing ground game, while San Clemente is left to regroup after a night where mistakes cost them momentum.
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