After Friday night’s post-game speech, Apple Valley head coach Robert Meras was handed the game ball by defensive coordinator Nick Downing and busted a move.
Knowing a Gatorade shower was coming, Meras swiftly moved out of the way of the ice bath following the Apple Valley team’s 35-14 victory over Corona del Sol on Friday night.
“How could you guys miss,” could be heard from some of the players.
Meras, happy as can be, was given the game ball because the victory marked a special moment. It’s the first victory under Meras’ belt as the head coach of the Sun Devils program.
“For me, the big picture is all about the kids,” Meras said. “It is a little nice coming off of two losses and getting the pressure off your shoulders. It doesn’t mean the world. But it does mean something because our kids are great. They’ve grinded and done everything that we’ve asked all year. We just want to keep this train rolling. It’s awesome for the players, and the coaching staff, to even think about giving the ball after the game.”
The victory also meant it was the first one that Jake Higgs has experienced in his brief time as the starting quarterback for the Sun Devils. The former Sultana Sultan Higgs transferred to the program after three seasons playing against Apple Valley.
“I've played here before, but this is my first win in (Newton T. Bass Stadium) and the first one for Coach Meras, so it feels really good,” Higgs said.
‘You could feel the energy’
Higgs got things started early, completing six consecutive passes and then capping the opening drive by hitting Jaden Foster for a 19-yard touchdown.
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The lead didn’t last long. Not more than two minutes later, Corona del Sol struck with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Luke Farrell to even the score.
“I feel like we’ve seen really good quarterbacks each week,” Meras said. “We’ve gotta watch more film and pick up more tendencies, turn our hips a little sooner, know the down and distance. We’ve got to know what we can jump, and what we can’t jump. That just comes with reps. So hopefully we are getting used to that because there are a lot of good quarterbacks in the High Desert.”
Higgs again completed four passes and scrambled three times, capping the drive with a leap in the end zone from a yard out for a 14-0 lead.
Apple Valley’s defense forced a turnover on downs the following drive, giving the offense the ball in Aztec territory.
Apple Valley capitalized, scoring early in the second quarter on a short punch in from Ezra Hastings for a 21-7 lead.
But it was the last bit of offense the rest of the first half.
Frankie Aguilar and Isaiah Hardeman picked off a pair of passes from Farrell in the second quarter but the Sun Devils couldn’t turn that into any offense.
“The whole defense just rallied,” Higgs said. “You could really feel the energy out there after the first big touchdown, they really buckled their chin straps up and got to work.”
The Aztecs pulled within seven points in the third quarter on the first drive of the half. Corona del Sol drove the whole field, burning nearly nine minutes off the clock, scoring on an 8-yard touchdown run from Domonick Ruiz at the 3:12 mark of the third quarter.
The Sun Devils utilized the run game on the following drive, and Noah Hardeman capped the 83-yard drive with a touchdown punch in, giving Apple Valley a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Sun Devil defense applied pressure on Farrell and forced a three-and-out, and Higgs threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to TJ Lewis for his third touchdown of the night.
“We have things we need to iron out but I feel good about our ability to out-physical teams,” Higgs said. “We can run the ball when we want to, we can throw the ball when we want to. I have all the faith in Coach Meras in calling the right plays at the right time and all the faith in my teammates.”
What’s next
The Sun Devils will be back on the road next week for the Bell Game against Victor Valley. The Sun Devils lead the all-time series 39-15 and have won the last 12 Bell Games.
Apple Valley beat Victor Valley 63-20 last year at home in the second-oldest running rivalry among High Desert squads.
Meras reminded the players after the game that seven coaches on the staff played in Bell Games.
When asked about what to expect in the 55th edition of the Bell Game, Meras had two words.
“Ding dong,” he said.
Higgs is eager to get a taste of the rivalry. While at Sultana he got to play in three Key Games against Hesperia.
“I’m excited because I played in the Key Game but I am ready to experience the Bell Game for the first time,” Higgs said. “They all talk about it so I’m excited to finally experience it.”
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: High Desert Football: Higgs' three touchdowns, strong defense leads Apple Valley
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