Enzo Candolo | Editor-in-Chief
October 17, 2023
San Clemente football has been balling this year, boasting a solid record of 7 – 1. Their performance on the field has been nothing short of dominant, capturing the hearts of our devoted city and reinforcing respect throughout all of South Orange County.
The team’s success can be attributed to a combination of factors. The team has displayed exceptional skill and playmaking in every game, but their offense has been one to fear. Led by senior quarterback, Dylan Mills, the team has effectively moved the ball down the field consistently, putting points on the board. The most significant factors in the Triton’s success has been senior running back Aiden Rubin.
Rubin has run for a whopping 1413 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns in the past eight games. With two receiving scores to add, it brings his total to 19 touchdowns on the year, only three away from the school record set back in 2006. Aiden says, “I couldn’t do it without my guys. If it weren’t for our O-line, I wouldn’t be putting up my current numbers.” Aiden also broke the school single-game rushing record at Ayala with 273 yards. The previous record was 261, held by Allen Vaughn since 1993.
The defense has also been a key factor in this season’s success, effectively diminishing all opponents’ attempts to score. Junior cousins duo Matai Tagoa’i and Puka Lee Fuimaono have also torn apart opposing offenses. Tagoa’i leads the team with seven sacks, and Fuimaono holds the team high at 8.5 tackles per game. Not to mention the lockdown secondary, Junior Riley Kelly leads the team with five interceptions, followed by senior Max (Fernando) Gonzales with four, and last week, clutching up with the winning pick-6 against Mission Viejo.
“I knew they were going deep or cutting it back to get the first down,” said Gonzalez in an interview with South OC Sports. “I saw him cut out on a comeback, and I just jumped right in front of it and took it to the house.”
The record is not only a testament to the team’s talent but also their resilience. In a sport as physically demanding as football, setbacks are almost inevitable. Still, the players demonstrated remarkable determination after the heartbreaking loss to Murrieta Valley a few weeks ago and the ability to bounce back stronger after that loss. They’ve used it as motivation to continuously improve and ensure they’re ready for whatever lies ahead.
The support of the San Clemente community has played a massive role in the team’s energy thus far in the season. The fans have turned out in large numbers every Friday night, whether home or away, to cheer on our team, creating a loud and electric atmosphere at every game. Rubin said, “I don’t think we’ve ever been louder than at Mission last week. You couldn’t hear their student section at all. We were genuinely so much louder than them. The energy really pushed us through the final minutes of the game.”
As the boys progress through league play, the next thing that soon awaits them is playoffs, posing the question:
Who’s going to beat them, Tritons?
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