(Whittier, CA) The La Serna Lancers ran for 387 yards and seven touchdowns and pounded their way to a 56-35 victory over the Rio Mesa Spartans Friday night in the quarter finals of the CIF Division V playoffs at Cal High School.
The Lancers were led by Ayden Contreras who rushed for 199 yards and four scores. Contreras added an interception on defense for good measure.
Also getting in on the scoring barrage were Jordan Bonilla, Kaimana Tufaga, and Grady Long, each scoring a touchdown on the ground. Long had one through the air as well.
Things didn’t start out too well for La Serna as Rio Mesa jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a 12-yard run by Isaiah Bautista and a 23-yard pass from JJ Bittner to Dylan Valdez.
With less than a minute to play in the opening frame, the Lancers got on the board with a 12-yard run by Jordan Bonilla. With Landon Armenta’s extra point, La Serna Trailed 14-7.
La Serna only needed three plays to pull within a point traveling 54 yards on three plays with Contreras getting his first on the night from 39 yards out. Armenta’s kick was blocked leaving the score a 14-13.
The Lancers grabbed their first lead on the night when they completed another three-play, 54-yard drive, this time Long called his own number from seven yards out. La Serna completed the two-point conversion on a pass from Long to Zeb Bontemps.
La Serna scored two more times in the first half on Contreras’ second score and a 33-yard catch and run by Tufaga on a pass from Long.
Rio Mesa kept the game close adding another first half score on a 56-yard run by Bautista.
The Lancers wasted no time to double up their lead to start the second half. Contreras got the call again to cap a three play drive. When Armenta added the extra point, La Serna looked to have the game well in hand at 42-21.
The Spartans showed they still had gas in their tank scoring two unanswered touchdowns, a nine-yard pass from Bittner to Alec Fontyn and a four-yard Bittner run.
Now up only seven, Andy George’s crew went back to work grinding out a seven-play, 76-yard drive capped by who else, Contreras on a three-yard run.
Trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Spartans were forced to move the ball through the air to try and get the score closer. The idea was thwarted by Mr. Contreras, as he picked off Bittner at the Rio Mesa 41.
Five plays later Contreras finished off his stellar night with an 18-yard touchdown run.
Down 56-35 the Spartans once again tried to get some momentum through the air but as in the previous drive Bittener was picked off again this time by Emre Law to seal the game.
La Serna will now head east to take on Summit in the semi-finals of the CIF Division V playoffs.
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Rio Mesa hasn’t won a CIF football title in 53 years….
Big game this week for LS
LS had a monstrous running game last night with 387 yards on the ground. LS’s defence was a little shaky in the first quarter and they were down 14-0 but the offence picked up and it was 35-21 LS at the half. At the start of the 3rd they got another one and were up 42-21, but Rio Mesa kept fighting with two more touchdowns to cut into LS’s lead 42-35. LS then scored two more TD’s and the defence did the rest. Game over 56-35 LS!