Two small-school giants took middle stage within the first sport of the CIF state championship bowl tripleheader Saturday in Mission Viejo and confirmed how you can play big-time soccer.
In a battle of undefeated powerhouses, Rio Hondo Prep performed powerful however was overmatched by Sonora in a 35-10 loss within the Division 2-A title sport at Saddleback Faculty.
Solely 82 boys attend Rio Hondo Prep, but the Kares (15-1) have grown accustomed to beating faculties with a lot bigger enrollments — as they did two weeks earlier in a 29-7 victory over Redondo Union for his or her seventeenth Southern Part title. Getting into Saturday’s showdown they had been averaging 39 factors a sport, however for the primary time all season they confronted an opponent that was capable of bottle up their working backs and power them to throw — not their bread and butter.
“You watch film on everybody and you come up with a strategy … but sometimes it doesn’t work out as planned,” mentioned quarterback Yanick Diaz, who tossed a 46-yard landing go to wideout Elias Har with 53 seconds left within the sport however was sacked as soon as and had two passes intercepted. “I’m so proud of my guys. Even though we lost we gave it 100% and left it all out on the field.”
Easton Jara kicked a 27-yard area objective to tug Rio Hondo Prep inside 7-3 late within the first quarter, and within the second quarter the Kares drove deep into Sonora territory however got here up empty after a drop ultimately zone by Har and a fourth-down cease by the Wildcats at their very own 14.
Noah Penunuri, Rio Hondo Prep’s main rusher and a beginning security, entered the sport with almost 2,000 yards and 31 touchdowns however was injured and capable of contribute solely 12 yards in six carries.
Rio Hondo Prep receiver Elias Har is shoved out of bounds by Sonora defensive again Isaac Hudson in the course of the first half of the Division 2-A state championship soccer sport on Saturday at Saddleback Faculty.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
“I wish we would’ve been a little more healthy for this game but give them credit — they did a great job,” Kares coach Mark Carson mentioned. “Noah had two bad ankles. He tried to go a couple series but he just couldn’t do it. We thought we could get them over the top and we got them a couple times but not enough.”
Sonora put the sport out of attain within the third quarter, marching 47 yards in seven performs on its first possession and scoring on Tommy Sutton’s one-yard run to open an 18-point lead. An interception by Steven Moorfoot led to a different one-yard landing by Sutton that made it 28-3 with 1:34 left within the quarter.
The Wildcats (15-0), who received the state 4-A bowl final 12 months, prolonged their successful to 22 video games — the longest lively streak in California.
Christian Lee carried eight instances for 54 yards and caught three passes for 27 yards, Tyler Dang had three catches for 65 yards and Har added two catches for 83 yards to steer Rio Hondo.
“You mourn a little after this but I’m sure when the guys have time to reflect, they’ll realize it was a great season,” Carson mentioned.
