Football:
Damien looked every bit the 26th-ranked program in the state (MaxPreps) on Thursday evening.
The Spartans cruised to a 38-7 Baseline League victory over their visitors from Ayala.
The Bulldogs actually led, 7-6, after the first 12 minutes.
AHS quarterback Alex Way snuck in from less than one-yard out on a fourth-and-goal play.
Damien, however, would go on to score the final 38 points of the game.
DHS improved to 4-0 in Baseline League play, and they got a gift from Chino Hills.
The Huskies defeated RCHS, 31-21, which means the Spartans can do no worse than a co-league championship with the Cougars.
However, Damien will do everything they can to secure an outright title when they visit the Cougars in the final game of the 2024 regular season.
But back to Thursday night.
On Ayala’s first drive, they matriculated the ball down the field on a lengthy drive that was aided by a few Damien penalties.
And as mentioned, Way snuck in for a short TD run.
It wouldn’t take the Spartans long to respond.
In fact, on its first snap of the game, Isaiah Arriaza hit Travon Garrison on a 66-yard TD pass, and DHS pulled to within 7-6 of Ayala.
Damien had a fourth-and-goal scenario of their own.
Kingston Schirmer rumbled in on a 1-yard TD run, and the Spartans took their first lead of the game.
Preston Yado’s 35-yard field goal just before the half extended the Damien advantage to 17-7.
DHS scored 21 third-quarter points, and that was all she wrote.
In all, Arriaza tossed three TD passes.
Along with the 66-yard scoring strike to Garrison, Arriaza also connected with Raymond Ahumada from 33 yards out.
And he finished the night with a 4-yard TD strike to Isaiah Teran.
Mixed in Arriaza’s TD passes, Malachi McFarland sprinted into the north end zone on a 53-yard TD run.
In spite of the lopsided score, the boys in red battled their asses off throughout for their coach, AJ Gracia.
Alex Way completed 14-of-31 for 166 yards and one score.
To be fair, Way’s receivers dropped five catchable passes.
Jedi Hernandez led the AHS ground game with 30 yards on five carries, and he caught eight passes for 47 yards.
Dewaun Nettingham had four receptions for 55 yards, and Brenton Smith caught a pair of passes for 64 yards.
Box Score:
A: 7-0-0-0-(7)
D: 6-11-21-0-(38)
Scoring:
A: Alex Way 1 run (Jaden Hernandez kick)
D: Travon Garrison 66 pass from Isaiah Arriaza (pass failed)
D: Kingston Schirmer 1 run (2-point conversion good)
D: Preston Yado 35 FG
D: Raymond Ahumada 33 pass from Isaiah Arriaza (Preston Yado kick)
D: Malachi McFarland 53 run (Preston Yado kick)
D: Isaiah Teran 4 pass from Isaiah Arriaza (Preston Yado kick)
Baseline League Scores:
Damien 38, Ayala 7
Chino Hills 34, RCHS 24
Upland 28, Etiwanda 14
Baseline League Standings:
Damien (7-2, 4-0)
Chino Hills (6-3, 3-1)
RCHS (6-3, 3-1)
Upland (4-5, 2-2)
Etiwanda (2-6-1, 0-4)
Ayala (2-7, 0-4)
Week-10 Schedule:
Damien at RCHS
Etiwanda at Ayala
Chino Hills at Upland
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