Central Spartans Secure Dominant Win 40-20! Against Coachella Valley Arabs

El Centro, CA — The El Centro Spartans delivered an impressive performance Friday night, defeating the Coachella Valley Arabs 40-20 during a home game. The victory not only showcased the team’s skill but also underscored their readiness to compete at a higher level.

Coach Rookie Pena expressed with complete confidence his team’s ability to compete in the higher sections of the San Diego Section CIF Division 2 bracket. He also hinted at broader aspirations, noting, "Looking at other CIF Sections outside of San Diego could be an option.”

The game began with Coachella Valley running a shotgun formation and throwing the football, putting early pressure on the Spartans' defense. Despite their efforts, a series of penalties and strong defensive plays led to a missed field goal attempt, giving El Centro possession at their own 20-yard line with 3:08 left in the first quarter. Key players Quarterback(QB)#6 Luis Jimenez along with Running Back(RB)#2 Nico Viesca helped get the Spartan offense rolling. Jimenez who threw for over 150 yards with 2 touchdowns in the night while Viesca, punched three running touchdowns. However, the Spartans faced a setback when star player #22 Martin, a TCU (Texas Christian University) commit, was sidelined with a knee injury to which he did not return.

As the second quarter unfolded, the Spartans pressed the running attack. RB Viesca powered through the defense, scoring the first touchdown with a 15-yard rub to open the score. On the Next Spartan possession Quarterback #6 Luis Jimenez connected with wide receiver #9 Josh Garcia for a stunning 55-yard reception, extending the lead to 13-0. Despite the score, the game was intensely physical, with notable injuries affecting both teams, including a serious injury to Coachella Valley’s Geo Lopez, who was taken off the field by ambulance after a hard hit by the Spartan defense. 

With 2:36 left in the second quarter the Spartans continued to find success with QB Jimenez and WR Garcia as they connect for a 45-yard touchdown. The Arabs managed to respond late in the half with a touchdown from running back #5, Ivan Camargo, but the Spartans maintained control as the half ended. Making the score to 20-6

The second half started with fireworks when WR#9 Josh Garcia returned the kickoff with an athletic 95-yard run. That was his 3rd touchdown of the night, putting the Spartans up 26-6. After forcing a punt from the Arabs, El Centro struck again with Viesca scoring his second touchdown on a 10-yard run, extending the lead to 33-6.

The Arabs attempted to claw back with a touchdown from but Viesca quickly responded with a 20-yard touchdown for his third of the night. 

In the fourth quarter, the Spartans turned to their second-string players, and both teams showcased strong defensive efforts. The Arabs managed one final score with a 15-yard touchdown run from running back #23, bringing the final score to 40-20.

This victory was important and all interviews reflected The Spartans main focus is competing with the best of San Diego. This win also highlighted the behind-the-scenes efforts of Athletic Director Ponce who had a crew of 7 capturing the game. In Addition special shout-outs go to @JonJonFlix for his outstanding videography that brings the Spartans journey to life.

Next week, the Spartans will travel to Arizona to face Cibola High School at 7:00 PM. For updates and the full schedule, check out their social media page, @cuhsathletics, on Instagram!