Photos by Tim Lunney & stats/game info from Harry Joe
Football:
Early on, it looked like Poway was pulling a Rio Hondo Prep on Rio Hondo Prep.
The Titans took the first drive of the game 68 yards.
Luke Jorgensen scored on an 8-yard run, as PHS took a 7-0 lead.
The drive ate 7:27 off the clock.
On RHP’s first drive, they fumbled the ball away.
The Kares defense, however, didn’t allow Poway to score on that drive or any other until there was 5:52 to play.
By that time, Rio Hondo Prep had amassed a 21-point lead.
RHP would go on to a hard-fought 28-14 victory at Poway in the CIF State Division 3A So Cal Regional Title Game.
It’s the first state playoff victory in program history.
Rio Hondo Prep will play for a state championship next week against Vanden from Fairfield (near Oakland).
The game will be played in Long Beach.
But back to RHP vs Poway.
It took the Kares 19 minutes of game clock to score.
After a TD was called back, Yanick Diaz connected with Nate Curtis on a 17-yard TD pass and the game was tied at 7-7.
Noah Penunuri scored on third-quarter TD runs of 4 and 3 yards to give RHP a 21-7 lead.
Caeden Holcomb’s 4-yard TD run with 8:35 to play put the game on ice.
Poway would score with 5:52 to play on an 7-yard TD pass from Ty Hurst to Colin McCann.
But that’s as close as the Titans would get.
In fact, in true RHP form, the Kares received the kickoff, and they ran the final 5:52 off of the clock.
RHP had a 247-60 advantage on the ground, and they edged Poway, 321-202, in total offense.
The Kares had the ball for 11 more minutes than the Titans on Saturday night.
For the fifth consecutive playoff win in 2024, Penunuri did the Lion’s share of the rushing.
The RHP junior carried the ball 27 times for 169 yards and the two scores.
Holcomb gained 53 yards on 10 carries and one TD.
Diaz completed 4-of-7 for 74 yards, and that included the Kares lone score in the first half.
Tyler Dang had a 39-yard reception.
Curtis had the 17-yard TD catch, and Elias Har had a pair of receptions for 18 yards.
Calogero Chico, Curtis and Penunuri had five tackles apiece for the RHP defense.
Har and Holcomb tallied four tackles apiece, while Rainn Pollock, Josh Curtis and Dang contributed three tackles each.
Chico and Pollock had a 12-and-7-yard sacks, respectively.
Ty Hurst completed 15-of-24 for 142 yards.
Hurst had the late 7-yard TD pass to McCann.
Jorgensen led the Titans with 40 yards rushing on 11 carries and one score.
McCann had game highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (36).
Marco Kirovski, Eli Alsop and Oliver Vera had game highs with six tackles apiece for the Poway defense.
Up next: As mentioned, the Kares battle Vanden next week in Long Beach.
The Vikings (12-2) defeated Pleasant Valley, 28-14, in their Northern California Regional.
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Quotable:
Rio Hondo Prep coach, Mark Carson: “We played strong once again on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, Noah did his thing, and we were able to control the clock. I thought the key to our win was the toughness of our guys. Poway brought it physically. They have a lot of big, strong guys, but we were able to outlast them and wore them down.”
Box Score:
R: 0-7-14-7-(28)
P: 7-0-0-7-(14)
Scoring:
P: Luke Jorgensen 8 run (Tyler Hughes kick)
R: Nate Curtis 17 pass from Yanick Diaz (Marco Chan kick)
R: Noah Penunuri 4 run (Marco Chan kick)
R: Noah Penunuri 3 run (Marco Chan kick)
R: Caeden Holcomb 4 run (Marco Chan kick)
P: Colin McCann 7 pass from Ty Hurst (Tyler Hughes kick)
Records: Rio Hondo Prep (13-1); Poway (6-8)
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