Warriors Come Out to Play; Beat Kares

Jonathan Guerrero rushed for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns for Rio Hondo Prep but it wasn’t enough

By Tim Peterson

(Irwindale) – St. Pius/St. Matthias scored 20 seconds into the game to get started and late in the fourth quarter to finish and beat Rio Hondo Prep 34-20 Friday night at Kare Park in the CIF Division 7 Quarter Finals.

The Warriors led 20-14 at halftime and punched in aother touchdown late in the third for a 27-14 lead. Rio Hondo Prep did score once in the fourth quarter to get close but could never get over the hump.

On the first play from scrimmage St. Pius found paydirt. Jordan Shaw fired a quick out to Nate Frazier who raced 70 yards for a touchdown and in a heartbeat the Warriors were up 7-0.

Rio Hondo Prep immediately responded. The Kares needed only four plays to get even. Jonathan Guerrero, who was the workhorse, broke off a 56-yard run down to the St. Pius X 23. Three plays later Guerrero crashed in from the one to tie it 7 with 9:56 left in the first quarter.

The Kares then recovered an onside kick and were back in business again at the Warriors 43. They used seven plays this time with Guerrero again getting the call and delivering with a two-yard blast and a 14-7 lead.

The second quarter belonged to the Warriors. St. Pius pieced together an 11-play, 55-yard drive with Christian Harris capping it with a two-yard run and the game was tied again at 14.

St. Pius then stopped Rio Hondo Prep at its own 29 yard line on fourth down and cashed in again. On the third play after the defense held Shaw picked up his second touchdown of the night hauling in a 20-yard strike from Dieter Barr and galloping into the end zone to give the Warriors the lead for good.

In the third quarter Jason Robinson scored on a four-yard run as the Warriors capitalized on an RHP miscue. The Kares mishandled a punt and St. Pius recovered at the Kare 27. Robinson finished the short drive with a four-yard run for a 27-14 lead with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

The Kares could never recover.

Ryan McCulloch ran 10-yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 27-20 but that was the Kares last hurrah of the night.

Barr connected with Robinson for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 4:38 left in the contest to ice it.

Barr threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns for St. Pius. Robinson had five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score. Frazier had 3 catches for 88 yards and a score.

Guerrero did the bulk of the work for Rio Hondo Prep. He had 25 carries for 199 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McCulloch had 10 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown.

St Pius/St. Matthias now advances to the Division 7 Semi Finals while Rio Hondo Prep finishes with a a first round playoff victory and an overall record of 10-2 on the year.

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