FRIARS SET STAGE FOR 9 STRAIGHT TITLES

By Patrick Lujan

The FD Friars move on in hopes of winning their 9th straight high school football championship, taking care of the Guam High Panthers 28-12 at the GW Field in the semifinals Friday night.

On a roll for the past decade, the Friars continue their winning streak never before seen as they reached their 80th straight win.

Guam High put up a good fight, but the game ended in some controversy. With 8:22 left in the game and FD scoring on a long play, the Guam High coaches got into a heated debate with the referees. Multiple coaches got into the discussion, leading to flags and hats flying into the air with one sideline referee getting pushed.

Head referee John Palomo then called the game because of the Panthers coaches being ‘hostile’. In the end, however, some Panthers coaches came over to the FD side to apologize and congratulate the Friars.

MENO BROTHERS

The running back duo of senior Jaron and sophomore Javin Meno highlighted the FD offense as the brothers both eclipsed 100 yards – Javin having 147 yards on 11 carries and Jaron rushing for 101 yards on nine carries. The siblings combined for 251 of FD’s 268 rushing yards.

“The team was working hard. Although we had some mistakes, we’ll perfect it at practice and keep working,” said Javin Meno, as though it was pulled out of the Coach Bruce Meno book of quotes.

The sophomore Meno didn’t even carry the rock once in the 1st quarter, as the older brother did most of that. The 2nd quarter, though, the younger Meno was the workhorse as he carried the ball for all but one for the Friars, including a two-yard scoring plunge to help put FD ahead 16-6 at halftime.

The brothers shared the last two carries of the game: Javin a 36-yard pickup and Jaron punching it in for a 29-yard score in what would be the last play of the game before the Guam High coaching fiasco.

“The one that played a really big part in me and my brother’s game play is the offensive line,” said Jaron Meno. “The offensive line gave us time to transport the ball through the line of scrimmage.” (another one from Coach Bruce Meno’s book of quotes)

3 DEGREES

FD’s offensive power package contributed to two touchdowns as Tristan Burgos and Isaiha Arriola cranked in two short scores. Yes, defensive studs scoring touchdowns.

It’s the 3 Degrees package that everyone on the island knows what’s coming. The baddest dudes on the Friars team that pack it in tight on short yardage situations and everyone knows it’s going to go to one of those two.

In fact, Jaron Meno is usually the deep back on the package who gets the best seat in the house to see either Burgos or Arriola hammer out those tough yards.

“I just sit back there and look pretty,” Jaron said. “The trench dogs just go in there and put that ball in.”

Burgos put the Friars on the board first from 2-yards out in the 1st quarter, while Arriola’s 1-yard plunge gave FD some breathing room at 22-12 late in the 3rd quarter.

MAROON WALL

The Friars defense was stout once again, limiting the Panthers offense to just 41 total yards, 30 of those coming on one pass play. Only six of the Guam High 17 carries were for positive yards.

Arriola led the Friars with five tackles and a sack. All five tackles were behind the line of scrimmage.

Lavin Santos also had a sack and Chase Artero added 3.5 tackles.

HARRIS STRIKES TWICE

Guam High’s lightning-quick utility player Noah Harris was able to hit the end zone twice from both sides of the ball.

Early in the 2nd quarter and the Friars driving, a high snap sailed over FD quarterback Kaynin McIntosh’s head. Harris alertly scooped it up and raced 50 yards for a fumble return score that gave the Panthers hope at 8-6.

Later in the 3rd quarter, Harris struck again with the Panthers deep in Friars territory, hitting pay dirt off a double-reverse from 9-yards out that cut the lead to 16-12.

It was only the second time all season that an opposing offense scored on the FD defense.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Friars now await their championship opponent. The winner of the #2 GW Geckos and #3 Southern Dolphins from Saturday night will advance to face the Friars next Saturday night at 7 pm at the GW Field for the championship.

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