HOLTVILLE — After a perfect 10-0 regular season, the Holtville High football team ran into a stout defense and fell to St. Augustine High of San Diego, 10-6, in the CIF-San Diego Section Division III quarterfinals at Birger Field here on Friday, Nov. 15.
The second-seeded Vikings (10-1 overall) rolled through the regular season, averaging 49 points per game while allowing less than five points per game, and recording five shutouts. The seventh-seeded Saints (2-10 overall) were the Division I champions in 2023, falling to Division III with the section’s new playoff seeding system.
The Vikings, winners of 17 straight games dating back to 2023, won the Division V-AA title in 2023 but found themselves pushed up into Division III after the successful regular season.
“Honestly, I like the new playoff system. Look at all the playoff games, they are all close,” said Jason Turner, Holtville’s head coach. “Tonight, they (Saints) played winning football. They ran the ball, controlled the clock and didn’t turn the ball over.”
After a scoreless and defense-dominated first quarter, St. Augustine got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter after an impressive drive that took 10:02 off the clock.
The Saints drove 56 yards in 16 plays, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown push from sophomore Pai Polamalu. Freshman Callen Moore booted the extra-point kick and St. Augustine was up 7-0 with 17 seconds left in the half.
The Saints’ defensive coordinator is Polamalu’s father, Pittsburgh Steelers’ legend Troy Polamalu.
Holtville only managed four offensive plays in the second quarter and 15 offensive plays in the first half.
St. Augustine took the opening possession of the second half and drove the ball 66 yards to the Vikings’ 9-yard line where the Saints settled for a 26 yard field goal from Moore to increase their lead to 10-0 with 5:59 left in the third quarter.
“I’m proud of my team,” said Vikings’ senior Andres Fregoso. “Those guys (Saints) were the best team we faced all season and we were right there with them.”
Holtville would finally get on the scoreboard with 5:47 left in the game when junior running back Enrique Armas finished a 41-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run. The Vikings failed on the two-point attempt, leaving the score 10-6.
The Vikings’ defense forced a quick three-and-out on the Saints’ next possession, giving Holtville the ball back at their own 20-yard line with 3:42 left in the game.
After a big 19-yard pass completion from junior quarterback Alonso Cuevas to junior Bradyn Terrill and a few Armas runs, the Vikings found themselves at their own 47-yard line with two and a half minutes left.
On a second-and-5 play from the 47-yard-line, Cuevas rolled to his right and launched a pass downfield that was intercepted by the Saints’ Matt Weinpel at the St. Augustine 36-yard-line.
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From there the Saints got a first down that allowed them to take a knee and run out the remaining clock.
Fregoso reflected on his career on the defensive side of the ball for the Vikings.
“It was awesome,” said the 18-year-old Fregoso. “Coach (Gabriel) Ponce is the reason I’m here. He got me out here and I have had so much fun. From winning it all last year to 10-0 this season, it has been awesome.”
Vikings’ senior Smitty Hilfiker also wrapped up his four years of playing varsity football on Birger Field with the same emotion.
“I always say ‘drive forward’ and I am proud of every moment,” said the 17-year-old Hilfiker. “Played four years on varsity and I gave everything I had and left it on the field. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
With the victory, St. Augustine moves on to the D-III semifinals where the Saints will travel to face third-seeded San Diego High at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22. On the other side of the D-III bracket, top-seeded Central will host fourth-seeded San Pasqual High of Escondido at Cal Jones Field in El Centro at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22.
