A full slate of CIF Southern Section football kicked off Friday night — and a wild one, no less. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame held off one of Arizona’s top teams overseas while St. Bonaventure shocked one of the Southern Sections’ top teams in Corona Centennial. But resiliency was the theme of the night. There were no dull moments in this edition of Prep Zone with each team putting up the strongest fight it could.
Never Say Die
Thunder Ridge of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and San Marcos Mission Hills faced two of the week’s toughest tests. Thunder Ridge, a power in the state of Colorado, came to California to try and knock off Vista Murrieta, the Southern Section’s second-ranked school, and Mission Hills traveled an hour north to South Orange County to take on No. 3 Mission Viejo.
Both teams share the same mascot, the Grizzlies, which was fitting based on their tough styles of play. Both teams played until the final whistle and turned in some highlight-reel type of plays. In the end, neither team could topple two of the area’s biggest powers, but the final score wasn’t indicative of the way either team played.
With just 45 second left in the Vista Murrieta-Thunder Ridge game, Grizzly quarterback Brody Wesmoreland his receiver Mark Hopper over his back shoulder in the end zone. Now down 37-26, Thunder Ridge successfully kicked on side, but time quickly ran out and Vista Murrieta’s lead held, giving the Broncos a season-opening win.
Mission Hills (0-1) also rallied late. After an interception gave the Grizzlies the ball with just over two minutes left to play, receiver Eric Romero caught a perfectly placed 33-yard pass for a touchdown.
But it was the Diablos (2-0) who dominated throughout most of the game. Quarterback Ian Fieber made the night’s best play in the first quarter. Under pressure, he let one fly deep to Sean Modster who then cruised into the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown.
The Diablos won, 35-21.
Running Game
Last week, Loyola was plagued by penalties in a win over Harvard-Westlake. Head coach Michael Christensen was intent on cleaning that up this week on the road at West Covina (0-2), and the Cubs (2-0) did exactly that in a 38-14 win.
Christensen had the luxury of having a trio of running backs and an offensive line that allowed them to each showcase their individual skills.
“They’re all a little bit different,” Christensen said. “But they’re all very unselfish and can do good things.”
Heritage (2-0) running back Jamal Morrow made sure that his team wouldn’t fall too far behind after Rancho Verde (0-2) got on the board early. Tied at seven, Morrow ran one in for a touchdown from 23 yards out in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Morrow’s speed was on full display as he broke free for a 53-yard rushing touchdown to put Heritage up, 21-7. Morrow added one more touchdown later in the night, playing a big role in the 35-13 win.
“We just wanted to come out physical,” Morrow said. “The o-line did a great job on blocking and I just took advantage of it.”
Worldwide Wins
Coming off a tough loss to Gardena Serra, Notre Dame headed overseas to face Hamilton of Chandler, Ariz., in Dublin Friday Night Lights. While not exactly the easiest place to earn a bounce-back win, the Knights rose to the occasion. Despite travel setbacks that included lost luggage, Notre Dame and their Irish head coach Kevin Rooney showed Ireland what their program is all about, topping Hamilton, 27-15.
Nick Holland made the game’s key play when he intercepted a pass and ran it back the other way 60 yards for a touchdown.
Coming Up
Crespi will be the last of the top 20 to open its season, doing so Saturday night when it hosts Nevada power team Liberty, out of Henderson. The Las Vegas area team boasts a three-year starter at quarterback and one of the top running backs in the state in Niko Kapeli. Crespi comes into its season-opener currently ranked No. 18 in the Southern Section.
Prep Roundup
SOUTHERN SECTION
NONLEAGUE
Alemany 49, Muir 12
Aliso Niguel 48, Millikan 8
Alta Loma 31, Montclair 20
Aquinas 46, Mary Star 0
Arroyo 21, Temple City 0
Arroyo Grande 50, Nipomo 7
Atascadero 42, Morro Bay 25
Ayala 16, Monrovia 15
Banning 62, Cathedral City 32
Barstow 39, Littlerock 6
Beaumont 37, Citrus Valley 14
Bell Gardens 36, Torrance 33
Bellflower 27, Garden Grove Pacifica 22
Bishop Amat 48, Chino Hills 48
Boron 61, Firebaugh 0
Brea Olinda 26, Sonora 14
Brethren Christian 43, Arrowhead Christian 7
California 40, Montebello 26
Camarillo 28, Buena 7
Canyon Springs 28, La Sierra 15
Carter 54, Chaffey 0
Century 38, Westminster La Quinta 12
Cerritos Valley Christian 42, Duarte 36
Chaparral 48, Valley View 0
Charter Oak 35, Eastvale Roosevelt 0
Chino 42, Pomona 0
Citrus Hill 33, Arroyo Valley 7
Compton Centennial 20, Compton 14
Corona 27, Colony 13
Crescenta Valley 26, Santa Paula 21
Diamond Ranch 56, El Rancho 34
Don Lugo 36, Maranatha 14
Dos Pueblos 21, San Luis Obispo 20
Eastside 37, Leuzinger 0
Eisenhower 48, Rialto 23
El Modena 11, Cypress 9
El Segundo 41, Lynwood 16
Esperanza 42, Santa Fe 0
Estancia 17, Loara 0
Etiwanda 27, Miller 14
Fillmore 35, Village Christian 17
Fountain Valley 23, Dana Hills 17
Frazier Mountain 40, Vasquez 12
Fullerton 42, Anaheim 7
Gabrielino 27, Bosco Tech 21
Gahr 31, Northwood 20
Garden Grove 28, Westminster 7
Gardena Serra 20, Long Beach Poly 12
Garey 26, Ganesha 22
Glendora 14, Claremont 6
Heritage 35, Rancho Verde 13
Heritage Christian 34, Grace Brethren 20
Hesperia 50, Granite Hills 0
Huntington Beach 62, Magnolia 0
JSerra 37, Long Beach Wilson 21
Jurupa Hills 41, Shadow Hills 18
Kaiser 20, Apple Valley 11
Kern Valley 44, Mammoth 26
King 30, Norte Vista 13
La Salle 45, Glendale 16
La Serna 28, Downey 27 (OT)
Laguna Beach 62, Bolsa Grande 14
Laguna Hills 21, Corona del Mar 12
Lawndale 13, Hawthorne 12
Los Alamitos 29, Paramount 26
Los Altos 48, Salesian 34
Los Amigos 21, Godinez 18
Loyola 38, West Covina 14
Marina 23, La Palma Kennedy 14
Mater Dei 35, St. Paul 10
Mira Costa 35, Inglewood 13
Mission Prep 47, Rio Hondo Prep 14
Moreno Valley 41, Fontana 7
Morningside 58, Cerritos 0
Mountain View 28, Bassett 21
Murrieta Mesa 35, Hemet 12
Murrieta Valley 42, Mayfair 0
Nordhoff 45, Oxnard Pacifica 7
North Torrance 42, Peninsula 3
Norwalk 52, Diamond Bar 38
Oak Hills 30, Knight 0
Oak Park 18, Channel Islands 7
Ontario 34, Bloomington 0
Ontario Christian 45, El Monte 24
Orange Lutheran 31, Damien 14
Oxnard 12, Quartz Hill 10
Palm Springs 41, Pacific 6
Palmdale 35, Valencia 21
Paloma Valley 44, Sultana 13
Paraclete 35, Burbank Burroughs 10
Pasadena Marshall 31, Blair 14
Pasadena Poly 28, Saddleback Valley Christian 12
Patriot 26, Perris 6
Rancho Alamitos 47, Savanna 14
Redlands East Valley 36, Dominguez 0
Righetti 55, Lompoc Cabrillo 15
Rim of the World 30, Victor Valley 7
Rio Mesa 59, San Marcos 13
Riverside North 41, Colton 0
Riverside Notre Dame 44, Grand Terrace 27
Riverside Poly 38, Ramona 7
Rowland 15, Hacienda Heights Wilson 13
Royal 24, Golden Valley 20
Rubidoux 56, Jurupa Valley 7
San Clemente 37, Long Beach Cabrillo 6
San Dimas 50, Azusa 7
San Gorgonio 28, Cajon 27
San Jacinto 28, Lakeside 9
San Juan Hills 21, Anaheim Canyon 17
Santa Barbara 35, Beverly Hills 6
Santa Clara 40, Hueneme 27
Santa Margarita 35, Long Beach Jordan 6
Santa Monica 42, Redondo 21
Segerstrom 25, Irvine University 8
Serrano 28, Silverado 3
Silver Valley 31, CSDR 13
Simi Valley 19, Saugus 12
South El Monte 19, Nogales 6
South Hills 14, Bonita 0
South Pasadena 49, San Gabriel 40
South Torrance 28, Carpinteria 20
St. Bonaventure 40, Corona Centennial 35
St. Francis 49, Arcadia 10
St. John Bosco 54, Lakewood 7
Sunny Hills 49, Santa Ana 7
Temescal Canyon 29, Temecula Valley 24
Templeton 17, Pioneer Valley 13
Tesoro 10, Hart 7
Thousand Oaks 20, Newbury Park 17 (OT)
Troy 34, Walnut 0
Tustin 35, Foothill 28
Twentynine Palms 49, Xavier Prep 0
Ventura 38, Agoura 6
Vista del Lago 22, San Bernardino 14
West Torrance 30, Culver City 25
West Valley 70, Coachella Valley 0
Western 6, Katella 2
Whittier 55, Artesia 14
Whittier Christian 49, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 6
Woodbridge 56, Lancaster 0
Workman 28, Keppel 8
Yorba Linda 15, El Dorado 14
Yucaipa 45, Highland 13
Yucca Valley 19, Rosamond 14
INTERSECTIONAL
Brawley 33, Indio 7
California City 38, McFarland 0
Calipatria 26, Desert Mirage 10
Capistrano Valley 41, Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian 39
Capistrano Valley Christian 35, San Diego Rock Academy 21
Carlsbad La Costa Canyon 42, Baldwin Park 0
Chaminade 49, Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy 39
Chula Vista Mater Dei 45, Viewpoint 21
Chula Vista Otay Ranch 26, Elsinore 21
El Cajon Christian 49, Linfield Christian 0
Great Oak 50, St. Albert (Alberta) 6
Harvard-Westlake 57, North Hollywood 13
Lompoc 21, Bakersfield Frontier 14
Mission Viejo 35, San Marcos Mission Hills 21
Ribet Academy 38, Douglass 6
Santa Maria St. Joseph 44, Fresno San Joaquin Memorial 3
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 27, Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton 15
Sierra Canyon 34, El Camino Real 20
Tehachapi 22, Ridgecrest Burroughs 15
Vista Murrieta 37, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) ThunderRidge 26
Westlake 16, Loomis Del Oro 13 (OT)
8 MAN
NONLEAGUE
Avalon 50, Concordia 32
Bermuda Dunes Desert Christian 62, California Lutheran 18
Coast Union 60, Orcutt Academy 28
Cornerstone Christian 51, Hope Centre 6
Cuyama Valley 56, Rolling Hills Prep 6
Desert Chapel 70, Public Safety Academy 16
Excelsior 41, Faith Baptist 22
Joshua Springs 72, Lucerne Valley 12
Lancaster Baptist 34, Bloomington Christian 20
Marywood-Palm Valley 47, West Shores 0
Nuview Bridge 48, Upland Christian 8
Pacific Lutheran 44, Victor Valley Christian 0
Thacher 38, Liberty Christian 6
INTERSECTIONAL
Annenberg 40, Crossroads Christian 14
Bakersfield Northwest Christian 38, Maricopa 2
Downey Calvary Chapel 55, Bright Star 8
Faith Baptist Academy 61, Chula Vista Lutheran 20
Hawthorne (Nev.) Mineral County 28, Lone Pine 26
Hillcrest Christian 74, Alpaugh 6
San Diego Ocean View Christian 46, San Jacinto Valley Academy 0
St. Michael's Prep 32, Discovery 6
