FRANKLIN LOAN CENTER GAME OF THE WEEK: Bearcats Stay Hungry with 42-20 Mauling of Claremont’s Wolfpack –NEW PHOTOS

All night, the Bearcats and Wolfpack lined up against each other.

Casey Horine stretches out. Photo by Eric Davis.

In a reversal of fortune, in a reversal of nature, the Wolfpack, which usually does the stalking, preying and eating, got eaten alive by the hungry Bonita Bearcats on Friday night at Glenn Davis  Stadium, suffering a 42-20 mauling at the claws of the hard-hitting, quick-striking and suddenly high-flying Beacats. Bonita shredded Claremont on the ground, through the air and in every facet of the game.

“We’ve been the underdogs the last couple of weeks, but we never doubted our abilities, and our game is showing that confidence,” said head coach Eric Podley.

The game didn’t start out confidently for the Bearcats, who went backwards in its first offensive series before being forced to punt. Taking over on its own 47, Claremont used a fake punt and a screen pass to drive to the Bearcats’ 30 before Brennen Carter kicked a 47-yard field goal to stake Claremont to an early 3-0 lead. The Bearcats’ Daniel Harriman, who would be a defensive load all night long, batted down a David Kessler pass and free safety Garrett Horine registered a “statement” tackle to force the field goal.

Bonita bats away a pass. Photo by Eric Davis.

The second offensive series didn’t go much better for the Bearcats. Again pinned deep its own territory, Bonita was charged with holding and quarterback Greg Spathias was sacked. After a poor punt, the Wolfpack took over on Bonita’s 38. But Bonita’s defense stiffened, and Cody McKenzie broke through the line to block Claremont’s 48-yard field goal attempt.

In its third offensive set of the third quarter, Bonita put together a 60-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by six straight Spathias completions to a variety of receivers including Matt Gelalich, Garrett Horine, Giomani Johnson, Cameron Salce and Casey Horine. Finally, Casey Horine turned the left corner on a 7-yard run and bolted into the end zone. After the extra point, Bonita led 7-3.

In the second quarter, the Bearcats revealed a new weapon. Reggie “The Game” Turner bolted 73 yards down to the 8-yard-line of the Wolfpack. The Bearcats completed the scoring drive on an 8-yard hook-up from Spathias to Gelalich. Bonita led 14-3

“Last week you saw a little bit of nerves, but tonight Reggie came out and sowed his oats a little bit,” Podley said. “But we all know and believe he’s going to be a good player and I think he showed a little bit of that tonight.”

Claremont started at the Bearcats 45 in its next offensive set, but after driving down to the 12, the Bonita stiffened and forced another field goal attempt, a 40-yarder that fell short and off to the right. On defense for the Bearcats, Zach Brungard and Seth Balantine delivered big tackles.

In the next series, after getting solid runs by Johnson and Casey Horine, the Bearcats punted, forcing the Wolfpack to start from its own 18. On second down, Garrett Horine stepped in front of a Kessler pass and ran it back to the 2-yard-line. A penalty pushed he Bearcats back to the 20. Then after just missing on a couple of pass plays to Casey Horine in the right corner, Brungard ran it in on third and goal from the 8-yard-line. After the Brandt Davis extra point, Bonita led 21-3.

Garrett Horine delivers a big hit.

Claremont kicked another field goal just before the half ended, but Bonita headed into the locker room with a 21-6 lead. At the half, a couple of stats stood out. While time of possession and first downs were pretty even, Bonita dominated the rushing game, 124 yards to 42. Spathias also completed 10 of 14 passes to Kessler’s 9 of 20.

With Claremont receiving the ball to start the second half, it was expected that Claremont would make some adjustments to its vaunted passing attack and put the Bearcats on their heels. It didn’t happen.

On second and two yards for a first down on their own 39, Claremont fumbled, with Casey Horine coming up with the loose football at the bottom of the pile. Taking over on Claremont’s 30, Bonita featured an 11-yard pass to Gelalich, a pair of runs by Salce and a short pass in the flat to Brungard before Spathias and Casey Horine connected on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Bonita led 28-6 after the Davis extra point.

Claremont didn’t keep the ball long. On its first play from scrimmage, Bonita’s McKenzie recovered a fumble to give Bonita the ball on Claremont’s 35-yard line. But this time, the Bearcats couldn’t convert their good fortune. Forced to punt, Balantine, stepping in for regular punter K.C. Huth, pinned the Wolfpack back on the 5-yard-line. Looking to get something started in the air, Kessler was picked off by Gelalich and the Bearcats were back in business again starting on Claremont’s 28.

Mixing in a pass to Grant Wharton and a reverse to Gelalich among other plays, the Bearcats scored on 8-yard run by Casey Horine to take a commanding 35-6 lead after the Davis extra point. It was a stunning start to the second half. Bonita converted two of Claremont’s three early second-half turnovers into 14 points, and instead of Claremont charging back in the second half, it was the Bearcats putting the pedal to the metal.

However, on Horine’s second touchdown, he was injured on the play and did not return. The play seemed to momentarily stun the Bearcats, losing one of their leaders on both offense and defense. Claremont’s Jackson Reeder hauled in a touchdown pass to make the score 35 to 13.

In the fourth quarter, turning more to the run to burn some clock, Bonita revealed a new weapon in Austin Venegas, who broke loose for a 79-yard touchdown. After the PAT, Bonita led 42-13.

Claremont answered with a touchdown of its own on the ensuing kickoff as Tanner Kuramata ran 85 yards down the north sideline to make the score Bonita, 42, Claremont,  20 after the extra point.

With the clock winding down, Bonita’s Reggie “The Game” Turner let Bonita make one more statement as he ripped off a 61-yard run down to Claremont’s 4-yard line.  The sophomore finished with a game-leading 166 yards on eight carries. For the final play, new quarterback Aaron Burgett took a knee, directly facing the scoreboard, which flashed the 42-20 final.

After the game, Podley was proud of his team’s gritty showing while concerned about Horine’s injury. “It’s something we’ve had a little experience with, and we don’t really want to experience too much more of it,” said Podley, reflecting on last year’s rash of injuries.

Podley was more focused on several standout performances that led Bonita to its second strong early-season showing.

“Vanegas had a couple of catches last week, he’s coming on,” Podley said. “Cameron Griffith is a guy we can always count on, who always does a good job for us offensively. Erik Mikity played well again. I thought Daniel Harriman really had an excellent game on the defensive line. Spathias is managing the game well.

“We got a lot of guys doing good things. That’s kind of what we want to be about. We want to be an unselfish team. Last week, we had nine different guys catching balls. We want to be a team that spreads it around. Everyone gets touches, everyone runs the ball, everyone plays as a team. We don’t need individual heroes, we need team heroes, and that’s the way we’re playing right now.”

Bonita weathered an early storm and then started playing Bonita football. “We plan on wearing people down,” Podley said. “Teams are bigger than us and they were bigger than us tonight, but as time goes on and as we go faster and faster and as the pace of play picks up — once you get rid of the penalties — that’s when we really start to go.”

Next week Bonita will be on the go again. After having successfully defended its home turf against two local rivals, Bonita heads out on the road to face Pioneer High School in Santa Fe Springs.

Even in fall when all thoughts turn to the gridiron, the Bearcats know life's not all about football. Here Marty Rodriguez and Ed Rodriguez of Century 21 Marty Rodriguez in Glendora stop by to donate toys to a toy drive spearheaded by Madison Zylstra. The toys will be donated to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, where a young girl, who is part of the Bearcats family, is fighting a serious brain tumor.

Before or after the game, try out the Pizza Barn. For all your tailgaters stock up at The Corner Butcher. For more about these two fine establishments and supporters of LaVerneOnline and Bonita Football, click on their Home Page ads.

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