Huge night for Chris Venegas and the Warren Bears.
(Downey) The Warren Bears and the Downey Vikings collided Friday night in the annual neighborhood battle and the Bears dominated the Vikings 48-28 at Allen Layne Stadium on the campus of Downey High School.
The Viking defense forced a three-and-out on the Bear’s opening drive but a Chris Venegas punt was downed and the Downey three.
The Vikings only needed five plays to cover the 97 yards. Kijjon Foots found Noah Skobis in the slot and Skobis weaved his way through Bear defenders in route to a 41-yard score. Austin Calvillo booted through the extra point for the 7-0 lead with 8:22 left in the opening frame.
Warren answered with a score of their own marching 78-yards on six plays. Venegas found Desmond Carnes from 29-yards out. Kevin Arias drilled the point after to tie the game at seven.
The Bear defense did the honors for Warren on their second score. Foots unable to find an open receiver decided to try and pitch the ball backwards to Malcolm Perry. The ball never made it to Perry as Arvionte Sheffield snatched the ball out of the air and raced 55-yards to paydirt.
Noah Skobis hauls in one of five passes.
The Bears extended their lead to 20-7 with 4:43 left in the first half when Venegas found Keison Evans on a fade from seven yards away. The extra point attempt by Arias was blocked.
Warren extended their lead as time was running out in the second quarter with the Venegas to Evans connection again to cap an eight play 45-yard drive.
The Vikings got the ball to start the second half but only managed a few yards and had to punt the ball away.
Warren took full advantage of getting the ball back and drove 69-yards on nine plays. Venegas found Carnes again from 18-yards out and with Arias’ extra point, the Bears now led 34-7.
With 1:31 left in the third quarter Downey got on the board for only the second time on the night. Perry plowed his way across the goal line from a yard out to finish off a 67-yard drive. Calvillo added the extra point to draw the Vikings to within 20.
Downey tried a very short pooch kick off that didn’t go the required 10 yards and Warren was set up with good field position at the Viking 49. Eight plays later Venegas found Jabari Hughes in the corner of the endzone from 17-yards away.
Venegas finished his stellar night hitting on 18 of 22 passes for 255 yards and five touchdowns and added another 66 yards on ground.
The final dagger for the Bears came after getting the ball back on a short punt at the Downey 31. Five plays later Sheffield carried the ball across the goal line on a three yard run.
Down 48-14, the Vikings could have easily phoned in the rest of the game but in front of a sold out, standing room only crowd who expected more, that’s just what Downey gave them.
A 10-play drive culminated in an eight yard run by Perry and tow point conversion and then after covering the onside kick, Foots found Danny Ruiz in the middle of the endzone with :03 left to play. The two point conversion failed this time keeping the final score at 48-28. Foots finished the night going 16 of 22 for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Foots favorite target was Skobis who caught five balls for 123 yards and a score.
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