After months of Poway High’s football team practicing without contact or pads, Friday nights are back. On Mar. 19, JV and Varsity football teams played Mt. Carmel and ended with a victory on Sun Devil territory. 

On Friday, Mar. 26, the Poway Titans had their first home game against the Westview Wolverines. The varsity team and JV team suited up together because JV’s game was cancelled that week. Together they brought home a win with a score of 35 to 14.  

On Friday, Apr. 2, the Titans went to Del Norte and went three for three. JV secured the Titans another win with a score of 30 to 0 and Varsity came out on top with a score of 54 to 17. It was truly an incredible night for these two football teams, with two games left the Poway Titans could go undefeated this season. 

In their first game this season, varsity competed against Mt. Carmel. They came home with a win of 28 to 10 and won the Kiwanis cup at Mt. Carmel.

Mt. Carmel and Poway High school have had one of the oldest rivalries in high school football history, so when the teams compete against each other the winner is granted a trophy, which the Titans won that night. 

Senior Quinn Cortes plays safety and running back for the varsity team. He’s been playing football for 13 years and plans to continue playing in college.  

“Our whole team is thankful to be out and be able to have a season. Especially the seniors who have been playing their whole high school career. We’re very  grateful to be on the field surrounded by our teammates,” Cortes stated. 

Senior David Miller has been playing football for ten years and has been excited for this season as his final year as a Titan. “After practicing since June 2020, it’s really nice to see all those months of work manifest into some big wins,” Miller said. 

Three games into the five-game season, their defense has had many dominant performances allowing only a few first downs between the first three games, with Vance Jefferson lighting up the scoreboard on the offensive side. 

That same night the JV football team also brought home a win at Mt. Carmel with a score of 44 to 7.  JV Captain Tim Pierra is thrilled to be back playing with his team. Even though it is not the same without the energy of the Titan Student section, limited fans are allowed throughout the stadium. 

“It feels amazing to be back on the field. We’ve put in a lot of time and hard work as a program, and the competition this year is really proving that our time was worth it after all these months,” Pierra said.

At the Mt Carmel game, JV had some amazing tackles and a sack which was the highlight of the game. Sophomore Nico McBride scored two touchdowns on offense. He’s been playing football for most of his life and is looking forward to playing with his teammates in the next two years of high school. 

 “Preparing for this year’s season was challenging. We stayed optimistic and practiced as much as we could when the time came so we could be ready,” McBride said. The first game proved how much effort and time our JV team has done to bring home some wins. 

Pierra is excited to be back on the field after all this time preparing for their competition. 

“I’m looking forward to playing other teams and challenging myself and my teammates the skills we have been working on all this time,” Pierra said. 

“With two games into the five game season our defense has had two dominant performances allowing only two first downs between the first two games with Vance Jefferson lighting up the scoreboard on the offensive side,” Miller said. 

The players are grateful to be back on the field. Football means so much to them and when they were given the opportunity to play after waiting over a year, they are so excited to show Poway High what this year’s football teams are all about. They are also hoping to bring home another league title this season. 

Varsity and JV have their second home games tonight against Vista. JV is playing at 4:30 p.m. and Varsity at 7 p.m. There is limited seating — each player can only bring four fans, those who cannot attend in person, can watch the live stream of the game. You can subscribe to the livestream for $11 and it includes not only football games but all other sports played in the stadium.