Hillsdale all alone in first

But that scoreless streak of 18 quarters came to an end in the second quarter against the upstart Warriors, who in their first official year of play, was riding a streak that saw them win four of their last five games.

But the touchdown would be the only points South City would score as the Knights posted a hard-fought 13-6 victory to take sole possession of first place in the Ocean Division standings.

“We knew there was a lot on the line,” said Hillsdale head coach Zack O’Neill. “We knew it would be a battle.”

Hillsdale (5-0 PAL Ocean, 10-6 overall) caught what seemed to be a break when South City’s regular starting quarterback and reigning Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Madyson Jade Quintanilla, missed the game after picking up an injury in practice Tuesday.

Starting in her place was Liongi Aiolupo, who proved more than adequate as a replacement as she swiveled, darted and ran away from Hillsdale defenders on her way to a game-high 106 yards rushing on just 11 carries.

“I rotate all three (of my quarterbacks),” said South City head coach Victor Quintanilla.

But Madyson Jade Quintanilla’s ability to throw the ball was the one trait lacking and the Knights took advantage with freshman defender Lucia Forney coming up with three interceptions, the first of which set up Hillsdale’s first score.

“The interceptions killed us,” Coach Quintanilla said. “Defensively, we were solid.”

Hillsdale jumped on the first mistake from South City (4-1, 5-3), which got the first possession of the game. After picking up an initial first down, Forney came up with her first pick at the Knights’ 35-yard line and returned it to the South City 25. Three plays later, Hillsdale quarterback Ania Aleshi found Skye Ramil on a crossing pattern.

Ramil snatched the ball away from a pair of defenders and then somehow kept her flags attached as she got the corner and went 16 yards for the score.

An Aleshi-to-Madison Regan pass gave the Knights the extra point and a 7-0 lead.

South City started its second drive and it went similar to the first. The Warriors got a first down on a Aiolupo 12-yard run. They eventually got the ball near midfield before Forney thwarted the drive with her second interception of the game.

But the South City defense stood firm and forced a punt.

This time, the Warriors finished a drive, with Aiolupo doing the bulk of the damage. After an 8-yard run from Aaliyah Bernstine, Aiolupo had runs of 5 and 13 yards.

But Hillsdale’s Melody Puls came up with a tackle for loss and a South City fumble left the Warriors facing third-and-long.

Aiolupo took the snap and moved her way upfield. Adept at keeping reaching hands at bay, she burst through the wash and into the Hillsdale secondary. A number of Knights defenders collapsed on Aiolupo about 20 yards from the goal line and for a brief moment she stopped, thinking someone had pulled her flag.

The opposite was true. She got going again and her next stop was the end zone as she rumbled 42 yards for the score.

But the Warriors failed on the conversion and trailed 7-6 at halftime.

“We were expecting a lot of run plays. [Aiolupo] was very effective on the ground,” O’Neill said. “We hoped to put them in long downs and distances.”

The teams exchanged punts to open the second half before the Knights struck again. Starting at her own 31, Aleshi took the shotgun snap and with a pair of defenders charging at her, tried to set up an underneath screen to Ramil.

The ball was slightly tipped a the line of scrimmage, however, but Ramil contorted her body to make the catch and then she did the rest. She bobbed and weaved through traffic before bursting out into the open and going down the left sideline for a 49-yard lightning strike and a 13-6 Hillsdale lead.

“When we need a big play, Skye is at the top of my mind,” O’Neill said.

Aleshi had a big game for Hillsdale and while she has had bigger passing numbers, O’Neill used her arm early and often to negate the fact the Knights didn’t have much of a running game.

Aleshi completed 27 of 32 passes for 183 yards in a West Coast-style of attack, going 13 for 15 in the second half, alone. Forney also had good day receiving, catching nine passes for 43 yards, while Judith Michael finished with a game-high 10 catches for 36 yards.

“Usually we mix in the run a little more,” O’Neill said, as the Knights ran the ball only five times. “But we knew there would be some soft spots.”