Photo by Tim Lunney
Football:
For the first time this season, the Rio Hondo Prep football program is the actual underdog on Friday night.
After five consecutive blowouts to open the 2024 season, and according to the website Calpreps, which CIF-SS uses to devise its first-round playoff pairings, the Kares are a 19-point underdog.
RHP will take the 35-mile drive to battle Torrance (4-0) at Louis Zamperini Stadium.
If that name sounds familiar, it should.
Mr. Zamperini was a World War II veteran, a U.S. Olympic distance runner and a Christian evangelist.
The 2014 movie Unbroken, which opened wide on Christmas day, told Zamperini’s life story, and it made $164 million dollars.
Sadly, Zamperini died five months prior to its release at the age of 97.
But back to the game.
Calpreps is predicting a Tartars victory (41-22) and they only give RHP an 18-percent chance to win the game.
Torrance (147) is ranked 125 spots higher than the Kares (272) in the MaxPreps state rankings.
Unfortunately, THS does not post their individual stats.
But they have an average margin of victory of 30-17, as compared to 54-17 for RHP.
It’s difficult to truly gauge Rio Hondo Prep’s individual stats, because through the first five games, all blowout wins, the starters never get a chance to play a full game.
But Yanick Diaz runs the Kares’ offense.
Diaz has completed 19 of 32 for 408 yards.
He’s tossed eight TD passes and two picks.
Landry Johnson has also spent time behind center, and he’s 7-of-9 for 95 yards.
Johnson has thrown three TD’s and no interceptions.
RHP has four players with north of 200 yards rushing.
Noah Penunuri (25-for-364 & seven TD’s), Caeden Holcomb (24-for-278 & five TD’s), Nate Curtis (18-for-245 & three TD’s) and Nathaniel Shine (15-for-218 & four scores) have combined to gain 1,104 yards on 82 carries, and 19 TD’s.
Nate Curtis leads the receiving corps in catches (7), receiving yards (149) and TD’s (3).
Penunuri is second, reeling in five catches for 103 yards and two scores.
Calogero Chico has two receptions for 65 yards, and both catches went for TD’s.
Holcomb (22), Christian Lee (20), Andy Xu (18), Josh Curtis (14), Ivan Tkach (14) and Adrian Mendoza (13) lead Mark Carson’s program in tackles.
Rainn Pollock has 10 tackles and a team-high three interceptions.
By the Numbers:
Records: RHP (5-0); Torrance (4-0)
Points Scored: RHP (273); Torrance (120 in four games)
Points Allowed: RHP (86); Torrance (71 in four games)
Average Margin of Victory: RHP (54-17); Torrance (30-17)
Most Points Scored in a Game: RHP (65 vs Poly); Torrance (38 vs El Segundo)
Most Points Allowed in a Game: RHP (28 vs Francis Parker); Torrance (24 vs West Torrance)
MaxPreps State Rankings: RHP (272); Torrance (147)
Opponents Combined Records: RHP (10-12); Torrance (10-9)
Rio Hondo Prep’s Road Record: 2-0
Torrance’s Home Record: 2-0
Enrollment: RHP (180, grades 7-12); Torrance (1,999, grades 9-12)
Calpreps’ Final Score Projection: Torrance 41, RHP 22
Calpreps Projection for Chance of Winning: RHP (12%); Torrance (88%)
Rio Hondo Prep & Torrance Scores in 2024:
Week 0:
Torrance 24, San Pedro 21
RHP: 55, Francis Parker 28
Week 1:
Torrance 30, West Torrance 24
RHP 65, Poly 19
Week 2:
Torrance 28, St. Anthony 7
RHP 56, Maranatha 14
Week 3:
Torrance had a bye
RHP 53, Marquez 19
Week 4:
Torrance 38, El Segundo 19
RHP 44, Bellflower 6
Week 5:
Rio Hondo Prep at Torrance
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