MURRIETA — Because of big returns on the field, San Clemente’s football team returns to the CIF-Southern Section semifinals for the first time since 2019.
Thomas Alexander returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown to close out the first half, Patrick Norman scampered 87 yards for a score after a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, and Jaxon Rex capped the evening by taking an interception back 37 yards for a touchdown as the Tritons defeated Vista Murrieta, 32-7, in a Division 2 quarterfinal on Friday night.
San Clemente, seeking its first CIF-SS crown since its state championship run in 2016, improved to 9-3 and will hit the road again Friday to face Leuzinger, which held off Chaparral, 19-14, in a semifinal.
The Tritons intercepted four passes and stifled the Broncos’ running game, holding Vista Murrieta to 54 yards rushing and 205 scrimmage yards.
“Our goal is to win a CIF championship,” Tritons coach Jaime Ortiz said. “Some programs are satisfied to reach the semifinals and play another week, but we want to win a championship.
“We’re one of the top programs in Southern California. Tonight we showed why.”
San Clemente was clinging to a 6-0 lead with eight seconds left in the first half when Alexander jumped to snag quarterback Levi Dean’s toss to Zachary Aleman, then outraced the Broncos along the sideline to the end zone for a 12-0 lead at the break.
“To go in at halftime down six to nothing would have been nice, but we were pressing. That’s on me; that’s not on our quarterback,” Vista Murrieta coach Coley Candaele said. “If we don’t give up that one just before halftime, we’re still in it.”
San Clemente opened on offense in the third quarter and took a 15-0 lead after Ethan Miller’s 27-yard field goal. Quarterback Preston Beck had a 46-yard completion to Alexander on the drive, and Carson Sloan had a 26-yard run, the longest gain among his 21 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown.
“I knew we had to run the football, especially with the weather conditions in the first half,” Ortiz said. “We made some great adjustments at halftime. They were kind of playing off to one side a little bit more and taking some chances. We were able to get in some formations and get a little better look to be able to run the football, and that’s what we did.”
“They got more physical up front,” Candaele said. “As much as this game is a physical game, it’s a psychological game and you wear out, especially when things don’t go your way and you get a little doubt in your head. And they wore on us a little bit.”
Still, the Broncos kept it close. Defensive lineman Judah Gbaja-Biamila forced a fumble that was recovered by Mason Stevenson near midfield. Cash Bryant, who had nine catches for 86 yards, hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass that gave the Broncos hope, cutting San Clemente’s lead to 15-7.
Miller booted a 39-yard field goal to push San Clemente’s lead to 18-7, and the Broncos answered with an eight-play drive to the Tritons’ 17-yard line. Dean completed a pass to Aleman, who was hit immediately, jarring the ball loose, and Norman, who was celebrating his birthday, scooped it up and raced 87 yards to the end zone, blowing out the candles on the Broncos’ season with 3:20 to play in the game.
Vista Murrieta ends the 2025 campaign with a 7-5 record.
“We’re happy in our situation,” Candaele said. “We had a freshman quarterback the last three games. We went from high hopes of maybe making a run deep in the playoffs to a freshman quarterback, and then we focused on winning just one game. And we won a playoff game with a freshman quarterback and completely changed offense. That’s something to be really proud of.”
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