Photo by Tim Lunney

Football:

Four CIF-Southern Section football programs hope to secure consecutive championships this weekend.

That list includes Mater Dei, St. Bonaventure, La Serna and Rio Hondo Prep.

It appears that RHP (11-1) is a victim of their own success.

In 2023, the Kares claimed a D-9 title thanks to a dramatic 29-27 victory at Santa Monica High School.

Fast forward one year, and Rio Hondo Prep is now a Division-7 program.

RHP has postseason victories over Ramona (35-0), ML King (28-7) and West Torrance (42-21).

In week 11, Ramona welcomed Rio Hondo Prep having won 16 consecutive games, including D-11 and D-5 CIF-SS and CIF State titles, respectively, in 2023.

Over the last two years, the Kares are 7-0 in CIF-SS games, including five road wins.

Rio Hondo Prep will technically host Warren (6-7), but the game is being played at Arcadia High School on Friday night.

The kickoff is set for 7.

Kare Park isn’t big enough to host a CIF-SS title game.

RHP enters the title tilt as a two-point underdog, according to Calpreps.

Some question the fairly new CIF-SS playoff formula, and this game is a glaring example of their concerns.

Just one year ago, Warren finished the season as the No. 30 program in the state.

The Bears fell to St. Bonaventure, 24-21, in the D-3 title game.

And somehow, they dropped four divisions in the last 365 days, while RHP jumped two.

Don’t let their 6-7 record fool you.

Warren has a star quarterback named Jamar Malone that transferred in and wasn’t eligible to play until midseason.

Nothing against this young man, but check out Malone’s long history of transferring, as cited by 247 sports.

“2023: Transferred into Daphne (Ala.) after spending spring and summer semesters at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. Led the Trojans to a 6-5 record and the first round of Alabama’s 7A playoffs. Completed 130 of 206 passes (63.1%) for 1,678 yards with 16 TD and 5 INT. Also ran for 435 yards and 12 TD while averaging 7.0 YPC.

2022: Spent sophomore season at Higley (Ariz.) where he led the Knights to a 12-2 record and an Arizona 5A championship. Completed 294 of 442 passes (66.5%) for 4,017 yards with 44 TD and 8 INT. Also ran for 937 yards and 12 TD while averaging 7.4 YPC.

2021: Appeared in 8 games as a freshman. Completed 98 of 177 passes (55.4%) for 1,562 yards with 12 TD and 13 INT. Also ran for 627 yards and 6 TD while averaging 7.2 YPC.”

In six games at Warren, he’s completed 49 of 80 for 767 yards.

Malone has tossed 11 TD passes and one pick.

After a slow start (0-5) to the 2024 season, and Malone’s arrival, the Bears have won four in a row and five of their last six games.

Two of their seven losses were to programs from Hawaii and Kentucky in week zero and week three, respectively.

In the playoffs, the Bears have mowed their way through the D-7 bracket.

Warren has postseason wins over Desert (35-7), Golden Valley (40-14) and Yucaipa (41-17) by a combined margin of 116-38.

In the strength of schedule debate, Warren’s 13 opponents have a combined record of 86-61, as compared to a 73-55 mark for RHP’s 12 adversaries this year.

The Bears have spotty stats on their Maxpreps’ team page, so it’s difficult to make a compelling comparison.

However, here is what we do know:

RHP has scored 214 more points in one less game.

They’ve surrendered 84 less points, and the Kares average margin of victory (43-15) dwarfs Warren’s (23-21).

They have one common opponent.

WHS defeated Bellflower, 52-0, while the Kares claimed a 44-6 victory over the Bucs.

Make no mistake about it, Warren is the favorite.

But no one on the RHP side will leave Arcadia High School shocked if the Kares earn a second consecutive ring.

And if they do, Mark Carson’s recipe for success will have played itself out.

It doesn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to realize what makes RHP go.

They run the football, and then they run it some more.

It pays off in yardage and points, but it also allows RHP to own the time of possession battle.

To add some stock to that claim, consider the following:

In wins over Ramona, ML King and West Torrance, Rio Hondo Prep had a combined 1,149-298 advantage in rushing yards.

Noah Penunuri (60 carries for 459 yards and seven TDs) and Nate Curtis (35 carries for 408 yards and seven TDs) have combined for 807 rushing yards on 95 carries.

And that includes seven rushing TDs apiece in the 2024 playoffs.

The Kares ‘D’ has picked up its game as well, allowing just 728 yards of total offense, and an average of nine points per game in three postseason wins.

Caeden Holcomb (67 tackles), Penunuri (44), Andy Xu (35), Josh Curtis (33), Christian Lee (32) and Rainn Pollock (31) are the team leaders in tackles.

Warren has a 3,317-120 advantage in enrollment, so once again, the Kares enter yet another big-stakes game as the David to Warren’s Goliath.

And the boys and their coaches from that little school in Arcadia would have it no other way.

Quotable:

Rio Hondo Prep coach, Mark Carson: “We have to do the things we’ve been doing well all season. We’re not going to change what makes us successful. Obviously, there is a game plan for their speed and size, but if we win, it will mean that we carried out our game plan. It will also mean that we played disciplined football and didn’t turn the ball over. They have a number of skilled players, and we spent the week having our scout team replicate what Warren does well.

By the Numbers:
Records: W (6-7); R (11-1)
Points Scored: W (305); R (519)
Points Allowed: W (267); R (183)
Average Margin of Victory: W (23-21); R (43-15)
Passing Yards Per Game: W (85); R (70)
Rushing Yards Per Game: W (108); R (336)
Total Offense Per Game: W (192); R (406)
Most Points Scored in a Game: W (52 vs Bellflower); R (65 vs Poly)
Most Points Allowed in a Game: W (36 vs Serra); R (28 vs Francis Parker)
Least Points Allowed in a Game: W (0 vs Bellflower & Dominguez) R (0 vs King’s Academy & Ramona)
Playoff Margin of Victory: W (116-38); R (105-28)
Neutral Field Record: W (1-0); R (0-0)
Current Win Streak: W (4); R (6)
Common Opponent: W (52-0 over Bellflower); R (44-6 over Bellflower)
Opponents Combined Record: W (86-61); R (73-55)
Last Year’s Finish: W (D-3 runner-up); R (D-9 champ)
Enrollment: W (3,437, grades 9-12): R (120, grades 7-12)
Calpreps Game Prediction: Warren 28, RHP 26
Calpreps Chance of Winning Percentage: W (57); R (43)
MaxPreps State Rankings: W (130); R (118)

2024 Warren Schedule & Results:
8/23: Kamehameha 31, Warren 20
8/30: Serra 36, Warren 0
9/6: La Serna 14, Warren 7
9/13: Woodford County 32, Warren 8
9/20: Culver City 27, Warren 14
10/3: Warren 17, Dominguez 0
10/11: Mayfair 27, Warren 26
10/18: Warren 52, Bellflower 0
10/25: Downey 27, Warren 7
11/1: Warren 38, La Mirada 35
11/8: Warren 35, Palm Desert 7
11/15: Warren 40, Golden Valley 14
11/22: Warren 41, Yucaipa 17
11/29: Warren vs Rio Hondo Prep at Arcadia HS

2024 Rio Hondo Prep Schedule & Results:
8/24: RHP 55, Francis Parker 28
8/31: RHP 65, Poly 19
9/7: RHP 56, Maranatha 14
9/13: RHP 53, Marquez 19
9/20: RHP 44, Bellflower 6
9/27: Torrance 28, RHP 21
10/4: RHP 24, King’s Academy 0
10/18: RHP 54, Viewpoint 19
10/25: RHP 42, Brentwood 22
11/8: RHP 35, Ramona 0
11/15: RHP 28, King 7
11/22: RHP 42, West Torrance 21
11/29: Rio Hondo Prep vs Warren at Arcadia HS

RHP Stats:

Quarterback:
Yanick Diaz: 42 of 80 for 697 yards, 9 TD’s & 4 INT
Landry Johnson: 9 of 15 for 141 yards, 3 TDs & 1 INT

Running Backs:
Noah Penunuri: 140-for-1,361 & 21 TDs
Nate Curtis: 72-for-906 & 13 TDs
Caeden Holcomb: 77-for-608 & 8 TDs
Nathaniel Shine: 35-for-317 & 4 TDs

Receiving:
Nate Curtis: 13-for-224 & 3 TDs
Noah Penunuri: 10-for-136 & 2 TDs
Elias Har: 6-for-130 & 1 TD
Rainn Pollock: 3-for-87 & 1 TD
Tyler Dang: 6-for-78 & 1 TD
Calogero Chico: 3-for-72 & 2 TDs

Tackles:
Caeden Holcomb: 67
Noah Penunuri: 44
Andy Xu: 35
Josh Curtis: 33
Christian Lee: 32
Rainn Pollock: 31

Sacks:
Nathaniel Shine: 3
Elijah Gavia: 2

Interceptions:
Rainn Pollock: 5
Elijah Gavia: 2
Elias Har: 2

Warren partial stats:
Skylar Lendsey: 73-for-741 & 9 TDs
Teralle Watson: 121-for-581 & 6 TDs

Jalen Ross: 39 catches for 652 and 6 TDs
Jaylen Whitaker: 16 for 283 & 3 TDs

Maurice Stepter: 63 tackles
Anthony Tate: 63
Kalani Tialavea: 62

Raymond Thomas: 3.5 sacks
Anthony Tate: 3 sacks
Michael Watson: 3 sacks

Maurice Stepter: 2 INT
Jaymari Redmond: 2 INT