Clovis is off to a 3-0 start with a win over Bullard. Hat’s off to defense

The Clovis High Cougars figured Friday night’s home game against Bullard would be grueling and tough. They were right.

Moses Saenz’s interception with 38 seconds remaining clinched a 17-14 nonleague victory for the Cougars before a large crowd at Lamonica Stadium.

“It was a big dogfight with defense,” Saenz said. “I knew my boys were going to come through. We practice for this. We were ready for this fight.”

The Cougars (3-0), ranked No. 8 in The Bee’s Central Section Top 10 after opening the season with a pair of 42-14 victories, led 17-7 before Bullard (0-2) scored late in the fourth quarter. The Knights got the ball back two more times but were stopped on downs near midfield, then by Saenz’s interception.

“It is good to win close football games,” Clovis coach Rich Hammond said. “When you win close football games it gives you confidence. They put you in situations that are difficult; they put you in situations that are tough and you’ve got to overcome and achieve and those are good building blocks.”

Cougars quarterback Isaiah Robles, who played for Bullard last season, threw two first-half touchdown passes to Reef Dove.

“I was waiting for this game all offseason,” Robles said, but “once it came to preparation on Monday, I was treating it like another game.”

This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 11:43 PM.