The teams in the Southern California Division 6-AA playoffs tonight play the long game.
The Quartz Hill Royals (9-4), located 70 miles north of Los Angeles and on the upper edge of the Southern Section boundary, will travel almost 250 miles, a distance not unfamiliar to their opponent, Blythe Palo Verde Valley.
The Yellow jackets have represented the furthest point in the San Diego Section since they joined in 2000, 216 miles from the city and 173 miles from Desert League rival Mountain Empire.
The Yellow jackets sustained 11 losing seasons in the next 14 after posting 10-2 record and 20-12 loss to Santa Fe Christian in 2004 in the D-IV championship.
Enter Wally Grant in 2019. Blythe was 6-6 in Grant’s first season as coach, followed by a 3-1 record in 2020, and 11-2 this season, including a 41-19 victory over Mission Bay and D-V title last week.
The ‘Jackets come to run the ball, averaging as few as three passes a game, putting the ball in the hands of running backs Zavier Bejarano and Marcus Macon, who’ve rushed for almost 3,200 combined yards and 42 touchdowns.
Quartz Hill defeated once-powerful Compton, 43-8, for the Southern Section D-XII championship last week and depends on quarterback Chalin Crawford, who has rushed and passed for 2,500 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.
