By Duane Barker
(Baldwin Park) Drew Knight threw four touchdown strikes Friday night to lead the Baldwin Park Braves to a 43-27 victory over the Rowland Raiders at Baldwin Park High School.
Knight was efficient on the night completing 15 of 21 passes for 305-yard and the four scores.
The first score for the Braves did not come via the air but on the ground. Knight called his own number from two yards away to cap a seven play 51-yard drive. The extra point from Giovanni Espinoza was no good but the Braves had an early 6-0 lead.
The 6-0 score would hold up for the rest of the first quarter.
Rowland to a 7-6 lead with 10:28 left in the second quarter on a 14-yard run by Jacob Binham. The two play drive was set up by a muffed punt by Baldwin Park’s Isaiah Ariza that was recovered by the Raiders at the Brave 15.
The one point advantage was the only lead Rowland saw on the night as the Braves came back with 18 unanswered points.
Ariza made up for the muff with a one yard run and touchdown passes of 20-yards and 79-yards to Tec Nunez and Ariza respectively from Knight capped the 18 point barrage.
Midway through the third quarter Baldwin Park extended their lead to 32-7 on Knight’s second touchdown strike to Ariza this time from six yards away. Ariza only had three catches but two were for scores.
Down 25, the Raiders went on a nine play 69-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 15-yard run from Bingham as time ran down in the third.
With 6:04 left to play, Rowland score again goin 87-yards on 10 plays with Hunter Walz getting call and waltzing his way into the endzone from three yards away.
The Raiders went for the onside kick and recovered the ball at the Brave 49. Six plays later Bingham was in the endzone again on a four yard run. The Raiders went for two but the Brave defense halted the conversion.
Binham finished the night with 25 carries for 124-yards and three scores.
Rowland went for the onside kick again but they were unable to get to the ball before it went out of bounds. With the penalty added on, Baldwin Park was set up deep in Raider territory.
After a bad snap back the Braves up to the 49, Knight looked deep over the middle and found a wide open Nunez for the catch and the touchdown. Baldwin Park head coach Ibis Aguilar decided on the two point conversion attempt and was successful when Knight found Ariza on the slant. Nunez caught three balls for 80-yards and the two touchdowns.
Rowland’s hopes for a comeback were dashed when on the ensuing drive, quarterback Ryan Hindi’s pass was intercepted by Christian Rocha at the Rowland 30 and returned down to the three.
The Raider defense held on three plays and Espinoza came on to boot a 19-yard field goal to put the game out of reach for Rowland.
Got to hand it to BP. I guess the 2019 season scared them straight. After Baldwin Park going 4-0 in 2020 still did not schedule a team with a heartbeat in 2021. Two straight seasons undeafeted. I hear USC is looking for a coach. Also Duarte is looking for a game if the Workman game fizzles out. One thing for sure, you guys still have the best snack bar food around.
Ariza started as a freshmen for the El Monte championship team and Ceja at Arroyo was also on the El Monte team. Both making big impacts on their teams. Neither has lost a varsity game in their career.