CALEXICO – In a matchup pitting former IVL foes, the Calexico Bulldogs will meet the Palo Verde Yellow Jackets in both teams’ season opener Friday night at Ward Field in Calexico.
Calexico will look to find early success in their friendly confines as three of their first four games will be played at Ward Field. They haven’t been the most formidable foe in the IVL in recent years, however first-year head coach Fernando Solano looks to keep his young group of Bulldogs motivated and determined throughout the struggles they may face.
The Bulldogs return 19 juniors to this year’s squad who played during this past spring’s abbreviated season as sophomores. Time will tell if the experience of playing Varsity football will carry over to wins here in the fall.
The Yellow Jackets are in a different position than they have been in previous seasons. They will begin the year as the newest member of the Desert League, joining Calipatria, Holtville, Vincent Memorial and Mountain Empire. They had been part of the IVL, which was their home for the better part of the past two decades.
The Yellow Jackets will look to continue their successes into this new league. Palo Verde comes into this season winners of their last three games of the spring, including victories over current league foes, Vincent Memorial and Mountain Empire.
Palo Verde has had the Bulldogs’ number in recent memory. The Yellow Jackets have won four out of the last five meetings with the last one coming in 2019: a 27-0 shutout at Ward Field. We’ll see if this group of Bulldogs can rise to the occasion or will the Yellow Jackets spoil the home opener to their former IVL adversary.
Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at Ward Field in Calexico Friday night
