She ‘wanted to try something new.’ Now she’s a Central Section football record-holder

Brisa Meza says she hardly ever feels intimidated about anything, especially when she plays soccer.

But how about football?

“First couple games, that was nerve-racking,” she says.

Meza settled down and made the most of her opportunity on the Madera High football team – particularly last week.

The 5-foot-2 sophomore set a school record with 10 extra points (Evan Rios’ nine was the previous mark), and set a Central Section record for most extra points by a female kicker, according to section historian Bob Barnett.

The eighth-seeded Coyotes defeated No. 9 Mt. Whitney 76-62 in the opening round of the Division III playoffs. Madera next faces top-seeded Tulare Western in a quarterfinal. It’s the only Thursday night game; the section’s other 21 games are Friday.

“The team feeds off her a little bit because she’s one of the most excited when she kicks a field goal or extra point,” Madera coach Yosef Fares says. “She makes it, she does her little hop and two-step and the kids get excited and the crowd gets excited.

“She’s really brought back that enjoyment of the game.”

Meza didn’t play football as a freshman but “wanted to try something new” this year. “I came from a family that watched a lot of football games.”

She was part of a game full of records, according to Barnett. The Coyotes and Pioneers set a section record for combined points (138) and combined touchdown passes (five apeice). Madera quarterback Colton Nelson was 21 of 33 for 412 yards and Mt. Whitney’s Jaedyn Pineda was 26 of 35 for 352 yards.

Clovis interception record falls

Clovis junior cornerback Cristian Loera broke a 29-year-old school record for interceptions in a season during the seventh-seeded Cougars’ 49-39 D-I win over No. 10 Ridgeview on Friday. David Anderson’s mark of nine had stood since the 1988 season but Loera picked off four Friday and has 11 for the season. (Kenny Lake had eight for Clovis in 1970.)

Also, Clovis senior quarterback Payton Mayer set a school record by passing for seven touchdowns, and his 407 yards are fifth-best in school history.

More records

More superlatives recorded by Barnett:

▪ Strathmore senior running back Joseph Garcia had 23 carries for 203 yards and two touchdowns to push his career total to 93 touchdowns, fifth-best in the section. He also has 5,171 yards. Defending D-VI champion Strathmore beat Orange Cove 24-6.

▪ Monache senior Marlon Johnson caught six passes for 174 yards and a school-record four touchdowns in a 50-28 D-IV victory over Liberty-Madera Ranchos. Monache quarterback Antonio Andrade was 15 of 27 for 266 yards and four touchdowns.

Liberty senior running back Kaleb Roth had 32 carries and a school-record 269 yards. Roth also had two touchdowns for 24 this season, second-most in school history.

Finals matchups to be decided

Three of the section’s seven divisions will advance teams to Thanksgiving weekend championships matchups.

D-II – Top-seeded Tulare Union will host Garces, and No. 3 El Diamante visits No. 2 Dinuba.

Garces and El Diamante met in the 2013 section final, won by El Diamante 28-14. Tulare Union’s last championship game appearance was in 2008 when it beat El Diamante 42-33. Dinuba fell to Ridgeview 16-14 in the 2014 D-II final.

D-XI – Top-seeded Strathmore (11-0) hosts No. 5 Orosi in a rematch from earlier this season when Strathmore won 35-13. Orosi (8-3) is seeking its first trip to the D-VI final. The Cardinals last won a championship in 1984 in the Sierra Division.

The other semifinal sends No. 3 Riverdale to No. 2 Rosamond.

8-Man – Top-seeded Fresno Christian hosts Riverdale Christian and No. 3 Laton visits No. 2 Trona.

This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 1:05 PM with the headline "She ‘wanted to try something new.’ Now she’s a Central Section football record-holder."