Imperial flag football makes easy work of Aztecs in first round of playoffs

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) - Imperial High School flag football kicked-off its postseason run in dominant fashion, shutting out Montgomery 52-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the CIF San Diego Section Division 4 playoffs.

The sixth-seeded Tigers welcomed the eleventh-seeded Montgomery Aztecs to Imperial and wasted little time establishing control, showcasing an explosive offense on their way to a convincing victory.

With Imperial already leading by a touchdown, quarterback Julissa Romo connected with Aryssa Hellum, who lateraled the ball to a sprinting Addison Clark. Clark raced down the sideline and nearly reached the end zone before being stopped just short of the goal line.

The Tigers found the end zone shortly afterward when Hellum caught a pass across the middle of the field. Hellum spun away from multiple defenders before accelerating into the end zone to extend Imperial's lead. She also converted the extra point to give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage.

Imperial continued to build its lead as Romo connected with Clark for another touchdown. This time, Clark broke free of the defense and reached the end zone to put the Tigers ahead by three possessions.

The offensive outburst continued throughout the contest as Imperial's defense kept Montgomery off the scoreboard, completing the 52-0 shutout.

The victory advances the Tigers to the CIF Division 4 quarterfinals, where they will travel to face third-seeded Otay Ranch on Thursday.