TEMECULA – The Temecula Valley Golden Bears (1-1) hosted their longest standing rival, the Elsinore Tigers (0-2), in a battle for the “Perpetual Trophy,” a prize established in 1986 and awarded to the winner of this storied matchup. In the latest chapter of their rivalry, the Golden Bears emerged victorious with a 20-7 win last Friday night.
This victory marks the second consecutive win for the Golden Bears against the Tigers, having secured a 17-7 win in their last encounter. The win also shifts the overall series record, with Temecula Valley now leading 6 to 5 over Elsinore in their eleventh meeting. The Tigers last defeated Temecula Valley 28-0 during the 2016 season, which was their fifth win in the six games played in the Perpetual series between these two longstanding rivals in the Temecula Valley portion of Southwest Riverside County.
The Golden Bears struck first in the second quarter when quarterback Ramese Rivera completed a pass to Jake Cella for a touchdown. A botched PAT kept the score at 6-0, but a field goal later in the quarter extended the lead to 9-0 with three minutes left in the first half. Rivera connected again, this time with Crew Allen for another touchdown just under a minute before halftime. Despite a failed two-point conversion, the score stood at 15-0 going into the break.
Elsinore got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter with a rushing touchdown and a successful PAT, narrowing the gap to 15-7. However, the Golden Bears’ defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, securing a safety to pull ahead 17-7. James Holt capped off the night with a field goal, sealing the 20-7 victory for Temecula Valley.
On the defensive side, Temecula Valley’s standout performances included Noah Watkins, who sacked Elsinore’s quarterback twice, forced a fumble, and recorded four tackles (three for loss). Vincent Evans also made a significant impact with a sack and 12 total tackles (three for loss).
The win brought Temecula Valley’s record to an even 1-1, while Elsinore dropped to 0-2. Looking ahead, Temecula Valley prepares for their first away game of the season. They will face Temescal Canyon at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, aiming to end a three-game away losing streak dating back to last season. Elsinore will look to bounce back as they take on Palm Desert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday of this week as well.
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