SAN JACINTO 35, HEMET 17
By Matt Jocks
Correspondent
HEMET >> In the rivalry game between Hemet and San Jacinto on Friday, adrenaline and emotions ran high. Martin Graise just ran far.
Having emerged as the lead back in San Jacinto’s injury-depleted backfield, Graise ran for 175 yards and a score as San Jacinto powered its way to a 35-17 victory. The Tigers retained possession of the bell in one of the Inland Empire’s oldest rivalries and also maintained a share of first place in the Mountain Pass League.
“He is starting to really figure it out,” San Jacinto coach Aric Galliano said of Graise. “This is the type of running we need to have. It’s him understanding what he needs to do and also being more physical running the ball.”
Graise put the Tigers (52, 2-0) ahead for good on the third play of the second half on a 67-yard run that, along with the 2-point conversion, put San Jacinto up 21-14. It was one of his four runs of 10 or more yards in the game.
The other emerging star for San Jacinto was quarterback Kajiya Hollawayne, who threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns.
“We have a 14-year-old quarterback who is starting to mature right before our eyes,” Galliano said. “He was very efficient tonight.”
Efficiency was hard to come by in a game where both teams ran hot. San Jacinto was hit with three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the first quarter and wound up with 15 penalties for 120 yards.
Hemet (2-5, 0-2) was right behind with 92 yards in penalties, including three consecutive penalties that short-circuited a potential go-ahead drive in the third quarter.
Before that, Hemet got good work from junior quarterback Nick Thornburg, who was making his first start. Thornburg completed 18 of 28 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.
“At halftime, I thought this was a game that was going to go down to the wire,” Hemet coach Jason Thornburg said. “But we had those penalties and a couple of crucial turnovers. Those are things you can’t do.”