Rio Hondo Prep has 71 boys enrolled in its faculty, and 43 college students play within the Kares’ soccer program. All of them play a number of sports activities, constructing connections all yr lengthy past the gridiron.
When Vanden Excessive of Fairfield, with an enrollment of 1,619, got here to Lengthy Seashore for the CIF Division 3-A state championship bowl recreation at Veterans Stadium on Saturday evening, working again Noah Penunuri tried to show no program is mightier. The junior put the Kares on his again and ran for 221 yards and 4 touchdowns, weaving and preventing for each yard and even whereas utilizing trickery for his first rating.
And in extra time, after he introduced the rating inside one on a landing run, Penunuri wanted only one extra massive play — to transform a two-point conversion to ship Rio Hondo’s sideline into hysterics. However all storybook tales don’t have joyous endings. Penunuri got here up brief on the one-yard line, sending Vanden’s sideline onto the sector in glee with a 42-41 victory over Rio Hondo (13-2) to shut the season.
“We lose together, we win together,” stated Penunuri, who ended the season with 30 dashing touchdowns. “We couldn’t get it done for the seniors — that’s what hurts the most.
Vanden (13-2) used a strong performance from quarterback Kalani Mcleod, who ended his senior year with a 370-yard, two-touchdown performance. His second touchdown was the game-winner, connecting with Keitaro Davis on fourth and three with an eight-yard pass into the back of the end zone.
“Huge props to [Vanden] for sticking it out, back and forth,” stated Rio Hondo coach Mark Carson. “Great state championship game. We were one stop away, really from winning it and we just couldn’t get that big stop. We needed it.”
Carson’s playcalling nearly led Rio Hondo to victory. To begin the second half, the Kares pulled off a profitable onside kick, resulting in a drive that ended with Penunuri punching the ball in from the one-yard line. Within the fourth quarter, Penunuri supplied Rio Hondo a lead once more, beating a Vanden blitz into the tip zone on a 14-yard landing run.
The ruthless assault of Rio Hondo’s ballcarriers met Vanden’s Mcleod head-on however finally led to the sign caller calling recreation in extra time.
“Contrasting styles,” Carson stated. “No one really stopped anybody. They just got that two-point conversion [stop] at the end. We made that decision [to go for two] back in the summer.”
With zero regrets on the ultimate play name, Carson rallied his workforce collectively for one final huddle and prayer. Penunuri helped up an injured participant, placing his teammate’s physique weight on his shoulder as they crept in to hear. Rio Hondo, win or lose, is a brotherhood, Carson stated.
Sonora 52, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 34
St. Pius X-St. Matthias coach Devah Thomas had tears effectively up in his eyes, turning them shiny crimson as every Warriors participant walked as much as their coach to console the chief who introduced them from a 1-9 report to the state championship recreation.
The tip to a season to recollect for St. Pius X-St. Matthias (6-10) meant mid-December heartbreak. Sonora (13-2) claimed its first state championship within the CIF Division 4-A bowl recreation on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Stadium in Lengthy Seashore, utilizing 362 yards dashing in 59 carries to push the squad from Tuolumne County to glory.
“I know I’m doing the right thing,” Thomas stated of his workforce’s loss. “If they love me like that, then I know I’m going in the right direction. … I won’t want it no other way. These kids, man, they did their best.”
St Pius X-St. Matthias quarterback Jassi Williams unleashes a cross through the CIF Division 4-A state bowl championship recreation in opposition to Sonora on Saturday at Veterans Stadium in Lengthy Seashore.
(Nick Koza)
Sonora quarterback Eli Ingalls solely threw three passes and two ended up as touchdowns. The junior was second-best on the bottom with 117 dashing yards in 21 carries.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias junior quarterback Jassi Williams used a dual-threat method himself and rallied the Warriors with 298 passing yards and two touchdowns, plus receiving touchdowns. He had two passes intercepted.
“We turned the corner, man,” Thomas stated. “We’re going in the right direction as a program. We’re doing everything right to get these kids going, and that’s all I can ask for.”
