Brawley snaps skid, extends two-decade streak over Calexico

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) - History was on the line Thursday night at Warne Field as the Calexico Bulldogs looked to end a 25-year drought in Brawley and pick up their first win over the Wildcats since 2000. But once again, the rivalry tilted in Brawley's favor.

The Wildcats wasted no time getting on the board. Quarterback C.J. Retutal handed off to Aiden Arriquive, who cruised into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown, giving Brawley an early 7-0 lead.

Calexico's defense briefly slowed the Wildcats with a sack from Carlos Delgado, but the momentum didn't last.

Retutal found Jonathan Piseno a few plays later, and Piseno powered through a wall of defenders to make it 14-0.

The Bulldogs needed a spark, and got one from special teams. A punt took a Calexico bounce deep in Brawley territory, where Andre Lopez scooped it up and ran it back for a touchdown.

Moments later, Dominic Flores added to the surge with an interception, helping Calexico pull within a score at halftime.

But the second half belonged to the Wildcats. Brawley pulled away down the stretch, sealing a 28-14 victory to secure their first win of the season.

The result extends Brawley's dominance in the rivalry and delivers head coach Bert Esposito his first victory at the helm.

With the win, Brawley improves to 1-5 on the year while Calexico sits at 3-2 and continues to search for its first victory over the Wildcats in more than two decades.