Pictured L-R: Bonita’s Noah Mikhail by Beth Oualline & Charter Oak’s Corin Berry courtesy of Gwen Pointer

Football:

Unlike their friends and classmates, high school football players don’t have the luxury of sleeping in late over the entirety of their summer break.

They’re in the weight room, and honing their craft on the football field.

It can be laborious and tedious and a number of other adjectives.

However, the missed hours of sleep and/or time at the beach with their friends and checking out girls has a purpose.

The discipline, dedication, commitment and work ethic that is demanded of them is constructed for moments just like this.

With two games to play in the 2024 regular season, Bonita (8-3, 3-0) and Charter Oak (7-1, 3-0) meet up Friday night at COHS.

The winner of this week-nine showdown between athletic and well-coached programs will go a long way towards securing a Sierra League championship.

However, neither the Bearcats (at Colony) nor the Chargers (at Glendora) will be able to look past the Titans and Tartans next week.

But let’s get back to arguably the SGV area’s most consequential game of the week.

Bonita has slight advantages in points scored (293-283), least points surrendered (89-121), average margin of victory (37-11 to 35-15) and rushing yards per game (133-94).

On the flip side, Charter Oak leads BHS in passing yards per game (293-205), total offense (387-338) and their state ranking by MaxPreps (65-93).

Calpreps, the site that CIF-SS uses to formulate the first-round playoff pairings has projected a 28-21 victory in favor of COHS, and they give the Chargers a 65-percent chance of winning the game.

Calpreps went 17-4 in week-eight projections of games that included at least one 210 Prep Sports program.

It’s a no-brainer that both teams have respected and successful coaching staffs that will have BHS and COHS as well prepared for the other as possible.

And the Bearcats and Chargers are led offensively by humble, intelligent and effective quarterbacks.

Charter Oak’s Corin Berry has completed 144-of-229 for 2,289 yards.

Berry has a 63-percent completion ratio, and he’s tossed 28 TD’s & six picks.

Bonita’s Travis Lippert is 92-of-132 for 1,593 yards.

He boasts a 68-percent completion ratio, and Lippert has 23 TDs and three interceptions to his name.

Both quarterbacks are juniors, but Berry has more varsity experience at the sport’s most consequential position.

Lippert would have started the season as Daniel Mielke’s backup, but when he bailed for Ontario Christian, Lippert got his chance, and he’s been far more effective than his predecessor.

Berry does hold a sizeable advantage over his counterpart in rushing.

Berry has carried the ball 24 times for 258 yards and two TDs, as compared to Lippert’s four carries for 17 yards and no scores.

If the Bearcats leave Covina with a win, it’s likely that Joseph Lara had a big game.

The BHS sophomore leads the program in rushing (82-for-465 yards & 4 TDs) and he’s caught 18 passes for 249 yards and four scores.

Drew Apodaca (34-for-171 yards & 3 TDs) and Noah Mikhail (28-for-150 yards & 2 TDs) have done their part as well.

Torry Huff has anchored the Chargers ground game.

Huff has gained 414 yards on 104 carries and that includes six TDs.

The Chargers receiving corps are as talented as one could be.

Legend Lyons (46-for-796 yards & 11 TDs), Marquis Bradley (50-for-738 yards & 10 TDs) and Antonio Reasby (33-for-549 & 4 TDs) have combined to catch 129 passes for 2,083 yards and 25 TDs.

Dylan Robinson has been Lippert’s favorite target, and he’s scored just about every way that a football player can find the end zone.

Robinson has totaled 25 catches for 581 yards and eight TDs.

Mikhail (14-for-222 yards & 1 TD), Cole Parra (12-for-158 yards & 1 TD) and Daiveon Woodley (7-for-122 yards & 2 TDs) have also been valuable options on Lippert’s radar.

Mikhail led the entire SGV in tackles in 2023, and his 77 tackles in 2024 is tops for both programs.

He also has four sacks through the first eight games.

JD Sanchez (63) and Jacob Martinez (55) have led the COHS ‘D’ in tackles.

Jacob Maddox has 47 tackles and two interceptions for BHS.

Bonita’s Isaiah Lazarus doesn’t get the credit he deserves with 36 tackles and four sacks.

LaVar Arrington has 27 tackles and 5.5 sacks for the Chargers.

Marquis Bradley, Christian Murph and Jontae Beckwith have two picks apiece for the COHS defense.

This site wishes both teams well, and with the hope for a competitive and injury-free game.

By the Numbers:
Records: Bonita (8-0, 3-0); Charter Oak (7-1, 3-0)
Points Scored: B (292); CO (283)
Points Allowed: B (89); CO (121)
Average Margin of Victory: B (37-11); CO (35-15)
Passing Yards Per Game: B (205); CO (293)
Rushing Yards Per Game: B (133); CO (94)
Total Offense Per Game: B (338); CO (387)
Most Points Scored in a Game: B (49 vs Grand Terrace); (CO): (44 vs Canyon)
Most Points Allowed in a Game: B (27 vs Ontario Christian); CO (28 vs Yorba Linda)
Least Points Allowed in a Game: B (0 vs Kaiser); CO (3 vs Claremont)
Opponents Combined Record: B (31-33); CO (32-32)
Common Opponents (Versus Muir, Claremont & Los Osos): B (3-0); CO (3-0)
Bonita’s Road Record: 3-0
Charter Oak’s Home Record: 4-1
Current Win Streak: B (8); CO (4)
Last Meeting (10/26/2023): BHS 27, CO 18 at BHS
Calpreps Game Prediction: CO 28, BHS 21
Calpreps Chance of Winning Percentage: CO (65); B (35)
MaxPreps State Rankings: B (93); CO (65)

Individual Stat Leaders:
Quarterbacks:
Corin Berry (CO): 144-of-229 for 2,289 yards (63-percent completion ratio), 28 TD’s & 6 INT’s
Travis Lippert (B): 92-of-132 for 1.593 yards, (68-percent completion ratio), 23 TDs & 3 INTs

Running Backs:
Joseph Lara (B): 82-for-465 yards & 4 TDs
Torry Huff (CO): 104-for-414 yards & 6 TDs
Corin Berry (CO): 24-for-258 yards & 2 TDs
Drew Apodaca (B): 34-for-171 yards & 3 TDs
Noah Mikhail (B): 28-for-150 yards & 2 TDs

Receivers:
Legend Lyons (CO): 46-for-796 yards & 11 TDs
Marquis Bradley (CO): 50-for-738 yards & 10 TDs
Dylan Robinson (B): 25-for-581 & 8 TDs
Antonio Reasby (CO): 33-for-549 & 4 TDs
Joseph Lara (B): 18-for-249 & 4 TDs
Noah Mikhail (B): 14-for-222 yards & 1 TD
Cole Parra (B): 12-for-158 yards & 1 TD
Daiveon Woodley (B): 7-for-122 yards & 2 TDs
Sean Munoz (CO): 8-for-108 yards & 1 TD

Leaders in Tackles (35 or More):
Noah Mikhail (B): 77
JD Sanchez (CO): 63
Jacob Martinez (CO): 55
Jacob Maddox (B): 47
Cole Parra: (B): 45
Joseph Lara (B): 37
Isaiah Lazarus (B): 36
Tristan Taylor (CO): 35

Leaders in Sacks (3 or more):
LaVar Arrington (CO): 5.5
Noah Mikhail (B): 4
Isaiah Lazarus (B): 4
Aaron Rivera (CO): 3.5

Interception Leaders (2 or more):
Jacob Maddox (B): 2
Marquis Bradley (CO): 2
Christian Murph (CO): 2
Jontae Beckwith (CO): 2

Bonita’s 2024 Schedule & Results:
8/23: BHS 27, Muir 7
8/30: BHS 35, Ontario Christian 27
9/6: BHS 49, Grand Terrace 7
9/13: BHS 47, San Dimas 7
9/20: BHS 47, Kaiser 0
9/27: Bye Week
10/4: BHS 27, Glendora 14
10/11: BHS 26, Claremont 7
10/17: BHS 34, Los Osos 20
10/25: BHS at COHS
11/1: BHS at Colony

Charter Oak’s Schedule & Results:
8/23: COHS 44, Canyon 6
8/30: COHS 34, Chino Hills 21
9/6: COHS 38, Muir 21
9/13: Yorba Linda 29, COHS 28
9/20: Bye Week
9/27: COHS 42, Mira Mesa 14
10/4: COHS 43, Claremont 3
10/11: COHS 36, Los Osos 13
10/17: COHS 18, Colony 14
10/25: BHS at COHS
11/1: COHS vs Glendora at Citrus College

Common Opponents:
Muir: BHS 27, Muir 7; COHS 38, Muir 21
Claremont: BHS 26, Claremont 7; COHS 43, Claremont 3
Los Osos: BHS 34, Los Osos 20; COHS 36, Los Osos 13

Sierra League Standings:
Bonita (8-0, 3-0)
Charter Oak (7-1, 3-0)
Colony (3-5, 2-1)
Glendora (4-4, 1-2)
Los Osos (5-3, 0-3)
Claremont (3-5, 0-3)