Game balls for Pomona in Week 8 win

Pomona has been a regular contender to get to the Class 5A state championship game over the last few years. The team is slightly down this year, coming into Week 8 with a 4-3 record, but the championship pedigree and plenty of talent still makes them a dark horse contender for the Class 5A playoffs. On Friday night at NAAC, Pomona used a big second half to pull away from Arvada West (6-2) for the 42-14 win. There were a number of players that had a strong performance in the win, and here are the game balls handed out. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="22702" first="Dominick" last="Nichols"], 2022, LB/KR</strong></h3> What I loved about watching Nichols is seeing his impact on both defense and special teams in the win, something that should entice coaches at the next level. From his linebacker spot, he showed great speed going sideline to sideline that allowed him to make plays in pursuit, and he did a good job making sure tackles in space against running backs and receivers. Where he shined this week, however was on special teams. He forced a fumble and recovered it in the first half in kickoff coverage, and then in the second half he took a kickoff 89 yards to the end zone that started the big second-half run for Pomona to pull away. Often an overlooked part of the game, his performance on special teams was huge and changed momentum a couple of times. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153762" first="Isaiah" last="Alvarez"], 2022, WR/DB</strong></h3> Alvarez was not targeted as much as his other teammates in the secondary, but when he was, he showed great skills to play tight coverage. He does a good job using the sideline as another defender, forcing receivers to have little room up the sideline to catch a pass and stay inbounds. There is good speed he shows that allows him to run stride for stride with the opposition. He also showed great skills reading the quarterback and was able to step in front of a pass for an interception in the second half. Not many targets his way resulted in receptions. <h3><strong>Mike Sierra, 2022, WR/LB</strong></h3> Another linebacker who was seen all over the field and shows that he can make plays against the run and the pass. He did a good job getting to the ball and can deliver solid contact on a ball carrier. One of the biggest plays of the night came in the second quarter when he stepped in front of a pass and took it to the end zone for a pick-6. Sierra is also the team’s punter in special teams. It was a steady performance Friday night for Sierra on the defensive side in the win. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153742" first="Aaron" last="Karas"], 2022, OL</strong></h3> Pomona has two big, physical offensive tackles. Karas may draw the most attention with his frame at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds. The senior has multiple offers from FBS schools and for good reason. He did a good job sealing the edge from his left tackle position and showed the ability to protect the blindside for his quarterback. In the run game, he can drive a defensive lineman off the line of scrimmage, and he can be dangerous getting up to the second level and delivering a hit. There is a bit of a mean streak that is on display when engaged, another positive trait. The physicality and size that Karas has makes him a top-10 offensive lineman in his class for the state of Colorado.