REV's D rises to the occasion; Wildcats in semis...
Two down, two to go.
After hearing all week about its lack of defense, the Redlands East Valley football team provided its answer on the field Friday night against Norco High School in a CIF Inland Division quarterfinal game.
Final score: REV 38, Norco 7.
Overall, the Wildcats allowed just one completion in the entire game and intercepted three passes. In the first half alone, the Cougars gained onlytwo first downs. They finished with 176 rushing yards, but a bulk of those yards came in the latter stages of the second half when the game was well decided.
If it wasn't for a REV fumble on the first play of the game, the Wildcats very well might have pitched a shutout.
It was a complete effort across the board for REV, which got over 100 rushing yards from Chris Polk, three touchdown passes from Tyler Shreve and also had a defensive touchdown for a score.
The game was marred by well over 100 yards of Cougar penalties, including an inexplicable personal foul penalty that saw a Cougar player kick one of REV's players in the back of the helmet.
"Frustration," offered Cougar head coach Todd Gerhart after the game.
After the game, neither team shaked hands. It was a bold move by the Wildcats, but an understandable one. Besides, the Cougars weren't exactly lining up for the postgame handshake either.
REV head coach Kurt Bruich and Gerhart did have a warm exchange after the game though.
Now it's onto the semifinals for the Wildcats, a school first. They will face Corona Santiago High School, which defeated undefeated Vista Murrieta in a quarterfinal game, 32-24.
The game will be played at Yucaipa High School on Friday at 7 p.m. It will not be played at Ted Runner Stadium due to the university's annual "Feast of Lights."