MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

(Monrovia) – Bonita went on a 28-0 run in the second half and ran away to a 56-21 rout of Monrovia Friday night to kick off the 2023 season.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 21-6 first quarter lead but Monrovia got on track in the second quarter and cut the lead to 28-21 at halftime. Bonita then scored 28 consecutive points in the second half to put it away.

Cole Parra had a big night for the Bearcats with three touchdowns, all on the ground. He scored first on a six-yard run on Bonita’s first possession for a 7-0 lead. Freshman quarterback Daniel Mielke then hit Adrian McCoy on a screen pass and McCoy scooted 59 yards for a touchdown on the next series and Bonita was up 14-0.

Monrovia’s Davonte Jones capped an 82-yard drive with a 7-yard run to cut the lead to 14-6. But Bonita countered with a 9-yard jaunt by Noah Mikhail to again increase the lead to two scores.

Bonita fumbled the ball at its own 7-yard line early in the second quarter which Monrovia immediately cashed in on with a two-yard pass from Brian Salazar to Noah Ellison to make it 21-13.

Bonita marched right back down the field and Parra scored on a 3-yard blast. Jones then got loose and rambled 50 yards on a screen pass and with a two-point conversion and the Wildcats were feeling good down just 28-21 at the half.

Bonita then blew it wide open in third quarter. Parra got his third of the night on two-yard run and after the Wildcats turned it over deep in their own territory the Bearcats took advantage when Mikhail danced into the endzone from three yards out and it was 42-21.

Bonita added some gravy in the fourth quarter with a six-yard TD strike from Mielke to Jayden Montenegro and a 25-yard dash up the middle by backup running back Connor Milici.

Bonita intercepted Salazar twice including a big pick by lineman Nicholas Ramirez who rumbled down into Monrovia territory.

Mikhail was a force on both sides of the ball for Bonita and scored the two touchdowns. He also had 7 receptions for 87 yards.

Jones had six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown but it wasn’t nearly enough. Bonita will face Ontario Christian next week while Monrovia will stay home to face Palm Springs.