Gallery • 14 Photos

Crystal Lamas

Before the game, ASB sold t-shirts printed by CHS Merch, in solidarity with those afflicted with cancer. A moment of silence for those who lost their fight with cancer was held at halftime.

Colton, CA—Friday night, the Colton Yellowjackets fell apart against the Eisenhower Eagles, losing 55-0 at Memorial Stadium in front of their fans on Teacher Appreciation Night.

“They looked like crap,” Coach Ray Rodriguez said. “You can put that in the paper. They looked like crap tonight.”

In another week marred by missed practices due to COVID-19 close contact tracing, it showed on the field. The linemen got one practice in this week before their Thursday walk-through, resulting in Eisenhower’s run game, led by sophomore running back Jacoby Pointer, tearing through for three touchdowns, including an 80-yard kickoff return run to open the second half.

Quarterback Gabriel Aparicio was visibly frustrated throughout the game, throwing an interception on the opening drive, and under constant pressure by Eisenhower’s huge front line.

As team leader, Aparicio is concerned about his team’s desire to win. “There’s a certain handful of kids that come to practice and give their all, and at the game it’s the same kids that show out and put their body on the line. We have kids who barely come to practice and those kids are the ones that when it comes game time, they are the ones in the back hiding.”

Coach Rodriguez attributes this to the age and maturity of most of his young team. “I have overachievers that are football players and I have guys that are trying to be. They are green to the sport, new to the sport, and aren’t football players yet. I need those guys that are trying to play football to evolve into football players.”

Next week, Colton faces its most challenging game yet, taking on the 6-2 Summit SkyHawks, fresh off their 58-24 victory over Grand Terrace High on Friday.

“We’re a small school,” lineman Nicholas Gutierrez said. “But we got heart. We gotta get that back.”