Hoehne defeats John Mall in battle of top-two teams in 8-man

It was the marquee game on the schedule for 8-man football when No. 1 ranked Hoehne hosted No. 2 ranked John Mall in a battle of unbeatens on April 9. <h2><strong>Game recap</strong></h2> What started out as a close, competitive game turned into a significant win for Hoehne. The Farmers pulled away for the 67-34 to remain unbeaten. It was a fast start for Hoehne as it forced a three-and-out on defense to start the game, and then scored a rushing touchdown on its second offensive play of the game by <strong>Grant Arellanes</strong> to take the lead. After another stop, Hoehne drove into the red zone looking to build a double-digit lead in the first couple of minutes, but an interception from <strong>Elton Chavez</strong> in the end zone halted momentum. John Mall capitalized on the turnover a few plays later with quarterback <strong>Travis</strong> <strong>Vialpando</strong> hitting <strong>Ricardo Bobian Jr.</strong> down the sideline on the go-route for a huge 55-yard score. From that point, Hoehne got back in control of the game and built up a commanding lead. With Arellanes continue to run through the defense and finding some help from <strong>Weston Hill</strong> and company, they scored a few more touchdowns to add to their total, while the defense did not allow any points to help the team take a 28-10 lead into the halftime break. More offensive firepower and defensive stands saw Hoehne pull away and lead 50-18 at the end of the third quarter, and they would force a running clock late. <h2><strong>Game balls</strong></h2> <strong>Grant Arellanes, 2021, 5’8, 170, RB/LB, Hoehne</strong> What stood out with Arellanes running the football on offense is the burst of speed he flashes. He gets to full speed quickly with his strides and can get to the next gear in the open field to run away from defenders. Because he flashed superior speed in the game, he was able to break free of arm tackles at the line of scrimmage and make it to the second level periodically. With 488 rushing yards and eight touchdowns entering the game, he added to those totals in a big way to help his team get the win. <strong>Antonio Moltrer, 2021, 5’11, 195, OL/DL, Hoehne</strong> The man who set the tone early for the Hoehne defense was Moltrer. Playing at the defensive end spot, he made the first couple of tackles for the defense and showed he could do it all from his position. He made good reads to crash down the line and get to the running back on a run up the middle, but he also exceled on the outside setting the edge on the line of scrimmage and forcing runners to either hesitate when trying to get to the outside or to turn back up the middle to the other defenders. In addition to an impressive defensive game, Moltrer did a good job opening up running lanes on offense and brought a physical streak to the offensive line. <strong>Elton Chavez, 2023, WR/DB, John Mall</strong> Though he is just a freshman, Chavez was seen all over the field to lead the John Mall defense. He did have to make some tackles as the last line of defense on big runs, but he was found getting in the box and disrupting runs up tight as well. His interception in the first quarter was huge to keep his team in the game early and provided a much-needed spark to the team. The versatile safety looks to have a bright future with the program. <strong>Travis Vialpando, 2021, QB/LB, John Mall</strong> Some of the numbers may be skewed because he had to force some passes in a comeback attempt, but Vialpando flashed at times from his quarterback position. He is a solid runner with the speed to get to the edge and a willingness to face contact when his number was called. The touchdown pass he threw in the first quarter showed good arm strength and nice touch, something he flashed in the game when he had time to stand tall in the pocket and not have to face pressure. His athleticism carried over to the defensive side with multiple tackles in the loss as well. <h2><strong>Next on the schedule</strong></h2> Both teams do not have a game listed for next week on Maxpreps.com. Hoehne should hold on to the No. 1 ranking and will next face Justice (1-2) on April 16. As for John Mall, they return home to host Front Range Christian (1-1) that same day.