BRENTWOOD – When Clayton Valley senior quarterback Tyson Lovett left the game with an injury late in the second quarter of Friday’s game against Liberty, the Ugly Eagles didn’t panic.
The East Bay school rallied around freshman quarterback Javale Jones who led Clayton Valley on a 10-play, 78-yard game-winning drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Logan Knapp to beat Liberty 21-17 on the road.
“For a freshman, I’ve never seen anything like that,” said Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa. “He only got 40%, maybe even 30%, of the reps during the week. But he mentally prepares like he’s going in at any point.
“We talk about next man up and that just affirms what we do here at Clayton Valley.”
Clayton Valley’s Logan Knapp (7) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown against Liberty in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
In essentially two quarters of play, Jones completed 4 of 6 passes for 45 yards and a score while adding 18 yards rushing.
“It was my time to shine,” Jones said. “I had to step up for Tyson when he went down and get this win.”
Star Liberty running back Jaxon Bell scored his two touchdowns in the first half – a 50-yard scoring grab and 39-yard sideline burst to the house – to give Liberty a 14-6 lead at halftime.
The Brentwood school got the ball to start the third quarter, but Clayton Valley’s defense forced a crucial three-and-out to stifle Liberty’s chance to extend its lead.
On the ensuing possession, Clayton Valley marched down the field in 12 plays that was capped off by a four-yard touchdown run by senior running back Justin Underwood.
“Man, I just saw a really big hole,” Underwood said of his touchdown run.
With the Ugly Eagles down two points, Clayton Valley trotted out what looked like its field goal unit.
But it was just a disguise as Clayton Valley shifted all but two players to the left sideline. When the ball was snapped, Logan Remington threw a screen pass to Knapp who ran behind a wall of blockers to convert the two-point try and tie the score at 14 with just under four minutes to go in the third.
But after a quiet start to the second half, Liberty found its rhythm again in the fourth quarter.
The Lions strung together a solid nine-play drive that ended with a 21-yard field goal by kicker Cody McGlasson that gave them a 17-14 with 3:36 left in the game.
Liberty kicker Ezekiel Carreno (60) and place holder Jaxon Bell (2) score a field goal against Clayton Valley in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
With Clayton Valley needing a score, the offense turned to Jones to make plays. Up until Clayton Valley’s final drive, the offense had yet to complete a pass. Jones’ first two attempts fell incomplete in the third quarter.
On a crucial third down and long, Jones completed a 14-yard throw – the first completion of the night – to tight end Tony Keck to keep the drive alive.
Minutes later on another third-down attempt, Jones found Keck again, this time for seven yards that put Clayton Valley in Liberty territory.
Clayton Valley found itself in another third-down situation, needing nine yards to get a first down. The Lions looked to have made a stop as Jones scrambled a yard short of the first-down marker, but a late hit by a defender incited a penalty marker for unnecessary roughness and moved Clayton Valley’s offense down to the 18-yard line.
The call was met with boos from the home crowd as many on Liberty’s sideline believed there was no malicious contact after the play.
“I didn’t see the hit out of bounds, but my coaches told me it was kind of ridiculous because if anything he was helping (the quarterback) back up,” said Liberty coach Mike Cable. “But they threw the flag. There should be no contact there, especially in a situation like that. So you can’t complain about the call.”
On the very next play, Jones made the play of the night.
Scrambling to his left, Jones looked like he was going to tuck the ball and try to run down the sideline. But at the last minute, he saw Knapp running open in the back of the end zone and threw it where only the 6-foot-4 tight end could grab it.
“I saw the defensive ends crash outside,” Jones said. “I felt the pressure and I stepped up and Tony Keck was just wide open. I had to give him the ball.”
Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa celebrates their 21-17 win over Liberty in a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Down four points Liberty had just over a minute to march 56 yards and score a touchdown to win the game, but Clayton Valley’s defense made sure that didn’t happen.
The Ugly Eagles forced a fumble that was recovered by junior Alec Hernandez with 40 seconds left.
Ball game.
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While Tisa has thrown Jones into games sporadically throughout the season, he even admitted he was surprised that the freshman had as much poise as he did during the team’s game-winning drive.
“I did not expect this,” Tisa said. “It’s just so dynamic what he could do. I’m really proud of him, but I didn’t say much to him. It’s just what we expect here.”
For Liberty, the defeat was a big blow to the players and coaches. The Lions pulled away in tight games against Amador Valley and Tracy in the last two weeks, but couldn’t get the stops necessary to overcome early second half struggles on offense.
“This is extremely disappointing,” Cable said. “To have this game kind of swing momentum the way it did and to lose in this fashion like we did hurts.”
Clayton Valley (3-2) heads into a bye week before starting league play against Las Lomas on Oct. 11. Liberty (3-2) is slated to start league play next week at Antioch.
Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa celebrates their 21-17 win over Liberty in a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty head coach Mike Cable walks the sidelines in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty head coach Mike Cable looks on from the sidelines in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Logan Knapp (7) celebrates with teammate Billy Blackwell (52) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback Javale Jones (2) scrambles against Liberty’s Brady Whitaker (50) in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) is pushed out of bounds by Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) break away from a Clayton Valley player in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jameson Wolfe (3) is takled by Clayton Valley’s Ryan Clark (29) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) runs the ball in the third quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) is tackled by Liberty’s Zaire Calhoun (32) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) runs the ball against Liberty’s Chris Joe (10) and Jaxon Bell (2) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jameson Wolfe (3) runs the ball against Clayton Valley’s Ryan Clark (29) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback throws on the sidelines with a trainer in the second quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback throws on the sidelines with a trainer in the second quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) scores a touchdown against Clayton Valley in the second quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) breaks away from Clayton Valley’s Andres Watts (13) on his way to the end zone and touchdown in the second quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
St. Ignatius’ Jarious Hogan, shown here in a file photo, scored on a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left to lift the host Wildcats to a 21-20 victory over Serra in a West Catholic Athletic League opener on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in San Francisco. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Clayton Valley quarterback is tackled by Liberty’s David Calkins Jr. (8) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) scores a touchdown against Clayton Valley’s Nathan Underwood (4) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) catches a pass and would then scramble into the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty quarterback Sage Robertson (12) looks to pass in the first quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa looks on from the sidelines in the first quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) celebrators after scoring a touchdown against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass under pressure from Liberty’s David Calkins Jr. (8) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) head for the end zone and touchdown against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) runs the ball against Liberty’s JJ Miranda Jr. (9) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) hands the ball off to Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) in the first quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Liberty’s Jordan Stewart (28) block a pass by Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) runs the ball against Liberty’s Ezekiel Carreno (60) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
