Thanks to Harry Joe for game info, Tim Lunney for the photos & David Guerrero for highlight reel
Football:
In a battle of the two best area small-school football programs, Rio Hondo Prep left no doubt as to who is king.
The Kares crushed Maranatha, 56-14, on Saturday night at Kare Park.
RHP scored 42 of the game’s first 49 points, and they had a 496-271 advantage in total offense.
And that included a 422-126 disparity in rushing yards.
Maranatha’s Miles O’Malley entered the game with north of 4,000 career rushing yards.
But on Saturday, Caeden Holcomb (seven carries for 117 yards), Noah Penunuri (9-96) and Elias Har (2-69) out-rushed the MHS senior, who carried the ball 14 times for 66 yards and no TD’s.
Holcomb had TD runs of 4 and 65 yards, Penunuri scored on a 12-yard run, and Har’s 61-yard TD gave RHP a 35-7 lead just 56 seconds into the second half.
Nate Curtis rushed for 55 yards on three carries, and that included TD runs of 39 and 4 yards.
Luke McNulty completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for a game-high 145 yards.
McNulty found Niko Vergara on a 4-yard TD pass late in the third quarter and he was intercepted by Elijah Gavia and Josh Curtis.
Vergara also scored on an 85-yard kickoff return to tie the game at 7-7 after the first of two Nate Curtis TD’s.
Bradley Loiacono caught three passes for 59 yards, and he intercepted RHP’s Yanick Diaz.
Luke Hanrahan had three receptions for 44 yards.
Vergara caught three passes for 12 yards, and Doug Zuniga had 26 receiving yards on four catches.
Diaz completed 5 of 9 for 67 yards.
Holcomb led RHP with two catches for 39 yards.
Nick Goodman had a game-high seven tackles for Maranatha, while Tomas Schodorf had six.
Nate Shine and Penunuri had six tackles apiece for the Kares, and Rainn Pollock and Nate Curtis each had five tackles in Saturday night’s win.
Up next: Maranatha will host Arroyo (2-1) on Thursday at 7.
Arcadia edged the Knights, 13-6, on Friday.
Rio Hondo Prep travels to Marquez on Friday at 7.
The Gladiators (2-0) secured a 44-9 victory over Hollywood.
To view a photo gallery by Tim Lunney, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook
Quotable:
Rio Hondo Prep coach, Mark Carson: “Our O-line was dominant- Tkach, Burl, Gomez, Gavia and Reyes set the tone with their physicality. Maranatha presented a great challenge with their balanced offense, and our defense met that challenge. I think our team speed was the difference.”
Video highlights by David Guerrero
Box Score:
M: 7-0-7-0-(14)
R: 14-14-21-7-(56)
Scoring:
R: Nate Curtis 39 run (Diego Householder kick)
M: Niko Vergara 85 kickoff return (Owen Meleka kick)
R: Caeden Holcomb 4 run (Diego Householder kick)
R: Nate Curtis 4 run (Diego Householder kick)
R: Noah Penunuri 12 run (Diego Householder kick)
R: Elias Har 61 run (Diego Householder kick)
R: Calogero Chico 17 pass from Yanick Diaz (Diego Householder kick)
M: Niko Vergara 4 pass from Luke McNulty (Owen Meleka kick)
R: Caeden Holcomb 65 run (Diego Householder kick)
R: Adrian Mendoza 3 run (Diego Housholder kick)
Records: Maranatha (2-1); Rio Hondo Prep (3-0)
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