Matt Kawahara
When Eastern Washington tailback Taiwan Jones steps onto the field at Memorial Stadium this weekend, it won't be the first time and he and Jahvid Best have run against each other on Cal soil. Best and Jones -- who hails from Antioch, Calif. -- were both high school track standouts at Salesian High and Deer Valley High, respectively. On May 27, 2007, they competed in the 100 and 200 meters in the North Coast Section Meet of Champions at Edwards Stadium. Best took first place in both races, Jones second.
A week later, Best would win the 100-meter title at the CIF State Championships with a time of 10.31 seconds, while Jones would finish fourth in 10.58. "I remember racing him in high school," Best said. "He's pretty fast." Now over two years later, they'll face off once again on Saturday, when the No. 10 Cal football team plays the Eagles at 2:30 p.m.
Many know Best for his time on the gridiron, but Jones was a standout football player himself at Deer Valley. As a senior, the two-way starter rushed for 1,466 yards and 13 touchdowns, recorded 37 tackles and three interceptions and was named Most Valuable Player of the Bay Valley Athletic League.
In his freshman season at Eastern Washington, Jones played cornerback and moonlighted as a kick returner, showing off his speed with a 93-yard return for a touchdown against Northern Colorado. When four seniors graduated after the 2008 season, the Eagles' coaching staff decided to try him at tailback.
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