Mission Hills, CA – As Friday Night Lights kicked off for the 2019 season, the Jordan Beetdiggers from Utah came to the San Fernando Valley to face the Alemany Warriors. While penalties ruled the day in the season opener the Warriors were the team to take advantage and ended up with a 62 to 38 opening win.
Alemany took the opening kickoff and was helped by some penalties and a 4th down conversion. Miller Moss found Deounce Caldwell for the opening touchdown early in the first quarter.
Jordan took its first possession down the field in a sustained drive before the Warriors came up with a big sack and forced the Beetdigger punt but the Jordan special teams came up with a big play after an Alemany muffed punt giving the Beetdiggers first and goal. The Warriors stood tall at the goaline until 4th down as Kadius Fuimaono found Kyle Wakley for the tying touchdown.
Alemany came right back as Moss found DJ Justice for a 40 yard bomb and another touchdown but missed the extra point. An onside kick gave Alemany back the ball and Moss went deep to Caldwell on the first play for 37 yards and another score.
Jordan held the ball to start the 2nd quarter but the drive stalled as the Warriors recorded a 4th down sack to take possession. A big run by Demario Strong took the ball near the red zone but more penalties took the ball back close to midfield and Alemany wound up with another turnover on downs. Jordan opened with a nice pass play that was wiped out by another personal foul which was returned after a roughing the passer penalty. A big pass to Nate Hanson took the Beetdiggers into the redzone. Fuimaono found Hene Bloomfield in the endzone to get Jordan within one score.
Jaylin Smith took the kickoff for a 90+ yard return and another touchdown for Alemany. After Jordan punted Alemany struck in two plays as Moss found Kevin Green Jr for 41 yards and the Warriors went up three scores. Alemany took the 34 to 14 lead to the half.
Jordan received the second half kickoff and was finally able to put together a time consuming drive helped by another Alemany personal foul. The drive was stuffed on a big Warrior sack by Corey Neal but the Beetdiggers were able to convert a long fourth down play. RJ Jones ended the drive with a clean interception of Fuimaono and the Warriors got the ball at the 5:57 mark for the first time in the 2nd half.
Miller Moss picked up where he left off and DJ Justice took a screen pass, got a block and took it 80 yards to the house for his 2nd touchdown and Alemany went up 41 to 14 on a drive that took just over twenty seconds. Jordan finally responded with a sustained drive and Manaia Tulaga ran into the endzone ending the scoreless drought as Jordan got back to within three scores. Alemany responded on the first play as Strong ran for 61 yards and another touchdown as Alemany again struck in less then one minute. After a three and out for Jordan, the Warriors blocked the punt and took the ball immediately in the red zone and turned the ball over on downs as the third quarter ended. Moss would finish with five touchdown passes.
Jordan held the ball to start the final quarter and gave it back on a punt in less than a minute. The first drive of the quarter for Alemany was all on the ground led by Floyd Chalk who ended with a 16 yard run for a touchdown and a 55-21 Alemany lead. The Beetdiggers showed some heart going back down the field and Fuimaono found Wakley for his second touchdown of the night and Jordan again got to within four scores halfway through the 4th. Alemany put in the subs on its next drive and backup quarterback Ja Shawn Todd added the exclamation point with a 32 yard run and a 62 to 28 lead. Jordan never gave up and responded with a 35 yard run from Hanson to make it 62 to 36. Alemany ran the clock out for the win.
