Kimball outlasts Oakdale to win memorable Valley Oak League shootout
After Oakdale High’s football team broke its postgame huddle Friday at Kimball, head coach Trent Merzon bent over, hands on his knees, in what was a visual representation of the drama that had just unfolded.
After low-scoring first half, both teams’ offenses became virtually unstoppable in the second, producing one of the area’s most thrilling games this season.
Though they took the lead multiple times in the second half, the Mustangs weren’t able to put together a scoring drive at the end of the game as they went on to lose the Valley Oak League shootout, 63-56.
Both teams average around 50 points per game, but few people went into the game expecting the offensive display they saw.
“Epic” is how Kimball (5-0) head coach Latef Grim described the contest that had 17 touchdowns, 119 total points, over 1,200 yards of offense and 12 lead changes.
Merzon told his team in its post-game huddle, “They’re going to be talking about that game years from now.”
A slow start proved costly in the end for Oakdale, which trailed 19-6 at halftime.
“That was important that we came out and we punched them in the mouth and it wasn’t what they were expecting,” Grim said. “They’re usually up.”
Merzon kept his team focused on playing its game.
“We just didn’t respond real well early, we kept waiting for somebody else to make a play and every time we’d make a mistake, we got tighter, and got more worried,” said Merzon, whose team sits at 4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Valley Oak League. “We played cautious and we’re not the kind of team that plays cautious.”
Running back Yahir Ayala opened up the second half with a touchdown for the Mustangs. A fumble recovery returned inside the 10-yard line set up Ayala’s second touchdown of the half to give Oakdale its first lead of the game, 20-19.
“We took a little bit of (their) momentum. Scoring early, getting a good drive, and just getting back to what we do.” Merzon said.
The next quarter and a half provided an offensive showcase unlike any game so far this season.
Kimball quarterback Nolan Coronado connected with Travis Marieiro for an 84-yard touchdown. That long passing play started a remarkable offensive back-and-forth display, with the next 10 drives resulting in touchdowns.
“Stay in it,” said Grim when asked about what he told his team during the second half. “Whoever gets the ball last, make a play, I knew that’s what it was gonna come down to. So, just stay in the moment.”
Oakdale scored 28 points in the third quarter and took a 41-34 lead into the fourth.
Coronado and Marieiro produced two more touchdowns in the final quarter. First, a 39-yard bomb with 10 minutes, 39 seconds left, after Coronado was flushed out of the pocket.
Oakdale took its final lead of the game, 56-55, after Jackson Holt found Kevin Camelin behind the defense from 39 yards.
Coronado and Marieiro connected for the third time in the game from 30 yards out for the game-winning touchdown.
Kimball takes the win into its bye week before facing another tough VOL opponent in Central Catholic.
“We enjoy this moment for 48 hours, then we come back on Monday and we’ll get ready for whatever we got into bye week, and then start teeing up for Central Catholic,” Grim said.
Oakdale travels to Central Catholic next week in a matchup of two 4-1 teams.
This story was originally published September 25, 2021 at 6:43 AM.
