Piedmont Hills Falls 38-10 to Balboa in NorCal Championship

UPDATE: Piedmont Hills’ dreams of a state title ended abruptly on Saturday, suffering a crushing 38-10 defeat to Balboa in the NorCal 7-A championship in San Francisco. This loss marks the end of an impressive eight-game winning streak for Piedmont Hills, concluding their season with a record of 10-4 under first-year head coach Kelly King Jr.

The game was dominated early by Balboa, whose standout running back, Mekai Smith, proved to be a formidable opponent. Smith, standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, scored three touchdowns, adding to his remarkable season total of 49 touchdowns, despite having two additional scores nullified by penalties. “He was real physical,” King remarked, comparing Smith to notable talents he faced in his coaching career.

The action kicked off with a disallowed touchdown return on the opening kickoff for Balboa. However, the Buccaneers quickly seized control, scoring on their first play from scrimmage to take an early 6-0 lead. Piedmont Hills responded with a remarkable 70-yard run by senior running back Alijah Torres, but disaster struck when Torres suffered a hamstring injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the game.

Despite the setback, Piedmont Hills managed to score a 30-yard field goal from Cash Martinez, narrowing the gap to 6-3. Balboa quickly extended their lead to 20-3 with a defensive interception return for a touchdown and a 19-yard run from Smith.

Piedmont Hills fought back with a 61-yard touchdown pass from John Palomo to Diego Arias, closing the halftime score to 20-10. However, the second half saw Balboa regain dominance, despite facing 19 penalties for 202 yards.

Palomo was knocked out of the game due to a head injury after several hard hits, leaving wide receiver Travis Linane to take over as quarterback. Defensive standout Josiah Oliver made notable plays for Piedmont Hills, including a sack and a tackle for loss.

“They took it to us up front,” King acknowledged after the game. “We didn’t get it done. We’ll get in the weight room and try to duplicate our success next year.”

As the dust settles on this disappointing loss, Piedmont Hills players and fans are left to reflect on a season filled with promise and achievement. While the quest for a state title has ended, the future looks bright for the program under Coach King.