Desert Pines rolls Mojave in state-title rematch

Last year, Desert Pines knocked off Mojave in the Class 3A state championship game, with the Jaguars picking up their second straight crown.

Friday night, the two squared off in the rematch, now as Class 4A foes. The result wasn’t all that different.

Desert Pines, playing in its first games since forfeiting two games after a benches-clearing incident on Sept. 21, scored 21 points in the opening quarter and never looked back in a 60-13 home victory over the Rattlers.

“It was good to get all the other stuff behind us and just play football,” Desert Pines coach Tico Rodriguez said. “This is a family, and they wanted to go out and prove that they can play football.”

And without two main weapons, quarterback Tyler Williamson and leading rusher Cameron Wiley, the Jaguars didn’t skip a beat.

Desert Pines (4-2, 1-1 Northeast League) used the 1-2 punch of Devin McGee and Jamel Brown for most of the ground attack. McGee finished with 139 yards on 10 carries and scored on runs of 10 and 2 yards. Brown added 108 yards on six trips and scored twice, including a 67-yard sprint.

Rodriguez was impressed with the play of quarterback Donzamon Lewis-Bealer, who completed 8 of 10 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Lewis-Bealer threw scoring strikes of 25 yards to Branden Thomas, and 21 yards to junior Darnell Washington.

“We wanted to show off (Lewis-Bealer) tonight, and he played very well,” said Rodriguez. “He had a very solid game, and we ran the football behind him.”

Desert Pines rushed for 295 yards on 24 carries.

Just as impressive was the Jaguars’ defense, which held the Rattlers (3-4, 1-1) to 81 yards on the ground. In addition, the unit recorded two pick-six scores: Washington taking an interception 49 yards for a score, and Kendall Washington going 95 yards for the other. Desert Pines also recorded a safety.

Mojave quarterback K’maurian Philogene threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns. But of the 62 offensive plays for Mojave, 25 of them went for zero or negative yardage.