Thanks to Harry Joe for the game info and stats
Football:
It might sound like a broken record.
However, to borrow lyrics from the great Canadian rock band, Rush, “a fact’s a fact from Nome to Rome.”
And the fact is that Rio Hondo Prep used their recipe for success in yet another CIF-SS playoff win.
The Kares had advantages in total offense (465-258), rushing (454-52), first downs (24-14) and perhaps the most important, a 34-14 edge in the time of possession battle.
RHP wore West Torrance down in a 42-21 semifinal-round victory.
Since 2023, the Kares are 7-0 in CIF-SS playoff games, including five road wins.
Noah Penunuri carried the ball 27 times for 187 yards.
Penunuri had TD runs of 1 and 60 yards.
Nate Curtis, the other half of the Rio Hondo Prep dynamic duo, went off for 137 yards on 13 carries.
Curtis scored on TD runs of 3, 4 and 31 yards.
Curtis also had a team-high six tackles for the RHP defense.
Caeden Holcomb missed the 100-yard rushing mark by just three yards, but he did score on a 13-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter.
Eli Brandt completed 12-of-26 for 206 yards, which included a 12-yard TD pass to Reef Sharman.
Brandt carried the ball seven times for 28 yards.
He scored on first-half TD runs of 1 and 5 yards, respectively.
Sharman attempted just one pass, and it was an interception.
Sharman had game-highs in receptions (6) and receiving yards (123).
Elijah Gavia had three tackles and an interception, and Elias Har totaled a pair of tackles and a pick.
Nathaniel Shine finished with four tackles.
Tyler Dang, Penunuri, Josh Curtis and Calogero Chico had three tackles apiece.
Up next: RHP will host Warren in next week’s D-7 final.
The Bears cruised to a 41-17 victory over Yucaipa.
Box Score:
W: 7-7-0-7-(21)
R: 7-21-7-7-(42)
Scoring:
R: Noah Penunuri 60 TD run (Marco Chan kick)
W: Eli Brandt 1 run (Cale Omanson kick)
R: Nate Curtis 3 run (Marco Chan kick)
W: Eli Brandt 5 run (Cale Omanson kick)
R: Noah Penunuri 1 run (Marco Chan kick)
R: Nate Curtis 4 run (Marco Chan kick)
R: Nate Curtis 31 run (Marco Chan kick)
W: Reef Sharman 12 pass from Eli Brandt (Cale Omanson kick)
R: Caeden Holcomb 13 run (Marco Chan kick)
Records: West Torrance (10-3); Rio Hondo Prep (11-1)