Warren Takes City and SGV League Title

Nicholas Iamaleava leads the Bears to victory.

By Duane Barker

(Downey) It was a game that had all that you could want in the last contest of the season. City bragging rights as well as a league title both on the line. A rivalry steeped in passion with as many as possible in attendance. It was the final game in a whirlwind of a season that some thought may not happen and when the final horn blew, Warren was on top of a 41-38 victory over the Downey Vikings at Downey High School.

In any other year you would find stands filled to overflowing and people lining the field for this match up. This year the crowds were not the same but the game fulfilled all the expectations one could hope for when these two teams do battle.

Momentum swings were plenty and led to four lead changes on the evening the last coming with under six minutes left to play.

Warren won the coin toss but deferred to the second half. The Vikings were more than happy to take the ball and marched 47-yards on their opening drive to take the lead. The drive was aided by a strange string of penalties against the Bears. On fourth down the Vikings punted the ball away and the punt was returned by Warren to what appeared to be a score. The officials huddled to sort out the laundry and came away with an illegal substitution by the Bears along with an unsportsmanlike foul after the apparent touchdown. The two penalties led to a first down for the Vikings and they took full advantage when Jacob Skobis got the call from 22-yards out.

Down 8-0, Warren took the ensuing drive 57-yards for a score of their own when Nicholas Iamaleava found Kyle Miller from 25-yards out. The two point conversion failed and the Bears trailed 8-6.

The teams traded touchdowns on their next two drives. An eight yard pass from Chris Hernandez to Tryse Redford for the Vikings and a one yard run from Marcus Higgs for Warren.

The Bears took their first lead on the night early in the second period. Iamaleava found Asontt Williams on a 29-yard catch and carry. A third attempt at a 2-point conversion failed but Warren was in the lead 18-16.

Five minutes late Warren extended its lead to 26-16 on a two yard run by HIggs. Higgs also got the call and converted the 2-point conversion.

Ian Hernandez gets loose for a touchdown.

With five minutes gone in the third, the Vikings got back on the board on a 15-yard pass from Hernandez to Ian Hernandez. Downey completed the 2-point conversion to trail by two.

The Vikings retook the lead with 2:57 left in the third quarter. Skobis got his second score on the night finishing off a four play drive with a five yard run. Hernandez connected with Bryant Carey two complete the conversion.

Downey extended their lead to 38-26 when Hernandez connected once more with Redford this time from 27-yards out. The Vikings were set up deep in Bear territory when Bear punter EJ Smith could not cleanly field a wonky snap and was downed at this own 27.

The battle continued and Warren came back to cut the lead to five early in the final frame. An eight play 71-yard drive was capped by another touchdown pass from Iamaleava to Williams.

The Bears retook the lead with 5:47 left to play. Higgs got his third score of the game on a 3-yard run. The 2-point conversion was successful this time when Iamaleave hooked up with Juan Wilson.

The Vikings had one last drive to try and come away with the victory but Hernandez’s pass fell incomplete on the final play of the game.

1 Comment to "Warren Takes City and SGV League Title"

  1. Anonymous's Gravatar Anonymous
    April 17, 2021 - 8:24 am | Permalink

    The Peterson effect

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