MidValleySports.Com

Bonita Bearcats reclaim the Smudgepot

(Citrus College) – Jake Payton  rushed for 158 yards and and a touchdown and Tanner Diebold threw for 211 yards and three scores as Bonita routed San Dimas 33-13 Thursday night in the Smudgepot at Citrus College.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 26-0 lead and never loooked back. They led 26-6 at the half.

Jake Payton does some damage against his former team.

***Bonita scored 24 seconds apart in the first quarter. Diebold hit Thomas Loy for a 46 yard touchdown at the 10:54 mark and Jacob Karim returned a Joseph Mayorga fumble 59 yards with 10:30 left to give the Cats a 12-0 lead.

***With four seconds left in the first quarter Manny Elizalde was tackled in the end zone for a safety for a 14-0 advantage.

***92 of Payton’s yards came in the second quarter when he busted one off a run from his own eight yard line, shurugged off a tackler, hung another one out to dry and went the distance. Payton’s transfer to Bonita was just approved about five hours before the game by CIF.

***Bonita only converted the extra point on one of its five scores. After Christan Ramos hauled in a seven yard TD pass from Diebold, Christian Cobian booted the extra point through. The Cats had failed on three previous kicks and a two point attempt.

***Diebold put the ball up 36 times completing 21, with two interceptions and took home the MVP award.

***Danny Gelalich, brother of former Bonita standout Matt, caught two passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.

***Fausto Martinez had 15 carries and 68yards and a touchdown for San Dimas. He was the Saints leading rusher.

***“I was pleased we were able to get started early. That’s a good team over there. I did feel we let off the gas later though. With Jake Payton, it’s all about the team and not about him. The team has totally accepted him and he’s been a total team player,” said Bonita HC Adrian Medrano.

***San Dimas’ best look at the game came midway through the fourth quarter. The Saints were down 26-13 but were stoped on fourth down at the Bearcat 44. Bonita then marched 56 yards on 10 plays capped by the pass from Diebold to Ramos to ice it.

***“We’re young and I need to do a better job of coaching. We’ll get better. We’ll put on a better show for you next time,” said San Dimas HC Bill Zernickow.