By Tony Solorzano
(Whittier) – Justin Rincon threw two touchdowns and Alex Mirola rushed for two touchdowns as Santa Fe opened Del Rio League play with a dominating 37-2 victory over Cal High Friday night at Whittier District Field.
Despite the return of senior quarterback Adam Contreras to the lineup for the Condors (0-6, 0-1), the four-week layoff from his shoulder injury showed as he was picked off twice by the Chiefs (3-3, 1-0) over the course of the game.
It was a quick-hit offense that Chiefs quarterback Justin Rincon ran for the first two scores. In the first quarter, after the Condors are forced to punt the ball on their second possession, Rincon hit Steven Hernandez for a 44-yard touchdown with 2:41 left in the quarter.
The same thing would happen in the second quarter. After stopping back-up quarterback Drew Castro at the Chiefs’ 29-yard line, Mirola took a handoff from Rincon on the first play of the drive and tore through the Condor line, rushing 71 yards for the second touchdown with 8:06 left in the half. Things began to fall apart for the Condors as Contreras was intercepted by Romeo Prado and returned to the condor 11. Mirola again scored, this time from four yards out, and Hernandez, who was on the field to hold for kicker Manuel Meza, tossed a pass to Joey Davis for a two-point conversion.
On their next possession, Castro, who took over for Contreras behind center, threw an interception, this one picked off by Rodrick Daniels. Although the Chiefs were forced to punt, receiver Ben Siepak downed the ball on the Condors’ four-yard line. On the first play, Contreras fumbled the snap in the end zone and was sacked for a safety, forcing Cal to kick the ball back to the Chiefs, who returned it to the Condor 44. Two plays and a pass interference penalty later, Rincon connected with Joey Davis for a 21 yard strike with 2:33 left in the half, giving the Chiefs a 30-0 halftime lead.
In the third, Cal finally got on the board after pinning the Chiefs deep in their territory. On a fourth-and-four, Meza fumbled the long snap in the end zone and attempted to run for a first down, but was wrapped up by Maximo Gonzalez, earning the safety and the Condors’ only points with 5:17 left in the third.
Santa Fe closed out the scoring in the fourth as Pete Reveles caught small screen pass from back-up quarterback Nathan Rojo, breaking free for a 61 yard score with 4:19 left in the game.
Santa Fe will return to Whittier District Field on Thursday to take on La Serna in a battle for first place, while Cal will host the Whittier Cardinals on Senior Night on Friday.
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