A.J. Powell's Returns gave CO field position all night
By Tony Solorzano
(Covina) – Adam Muema scored four touchdowns to lead Charter Oak back to the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division finals as they ended California High’s 10-game unbeaten streak, 38-10 Saturday Night at Charter Oak High School.
The Chargers, (12-1), will face off against Diamond Ranch in a repeat of last year’s Final. Charter Oak’s second half explosion against the Condors, (9-3-1), sank the high-flying Terris Jones, who was limited to only one touchdown and was injured late in the game. The Chargers have reached the Southeast Finals now eight times under Coach Lou Farrar.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Chargers got on the board at 8:52 when Adam Muema scored from 21 yards out. The Chargers closed out the half as Tyler Hadden kicked a 27-yard field goal with four seconds left to cut the lead to 7-3.
In the third, Jones tallied the entire 82 yards of their first possession of the half on three plays, a 62-yard explosion on the first play, a 1-yard short run and a 19 yard score with 10:34 left in the quarter giving the Condors a brief 10-7 lead. The lead would not hold though as over as the next eight minutes, Charter Oak scored three times in the quarter.
First Dennis Rufus caught a 77-yard pass from quarterback Travis Santiago less than a minute after Jones’ score to give CO a 14-10 advantage. The Condors were plagued by ill-timed penalties that stymied a number of potential lead-changing runs. After Jones moved the ball close to mid-field on a 21-yard run, Travis Alexander’s run that would have put the Condors deep into Charger territory was called back because of a chop block penalty and Hadden’s punt was returned by A.J. Powell inside the Condor 25-yard line.
On that drive, despite starting deep in Cal territory, the Chargers were unable to get past the four yard line, forcing Robert Poage to kick a 21-yard field goal, increasing the lead to 17-10 with 3:24 left in the quarter. Cal’s subsequent drive ended prematurely as Rufus intercepted Adam Contreras at the 34 yard line. On the ensuing play, Muema scored his second touchdown of the game, breaking away for a 34 yard score with 1:21 left.
Terris Jones never Stopped Fighting
Cal’s ensuing drive closed out the third quarter but controversy ensued on Hadden’s punt to start the fourth as an apparent roughing the kicker flag was waved off, despite Hadden clearly on the ground, holding his ankle. Rather than giving a new set of downs to Cal, the referees allowed Charter Oak to retain possession at the Cal 48 yard line. Five plays later, Muema scored his third touchdown, this one from 20 yards out, extending the lead to 31-10 with 9:16 left in the game.
After forcing another Cal punt, Muema scored his final touchdown of the night from seven yards out with 3:48 left. Cal’s last attempt to get back into the game ended on their own 34 yard line which ended with Jones suffering a knee injury with 2:39 after a 1-yard loss. Jones had to be helped off the field by his teammates and did not return to the game.
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