FRANKLIN LOAN CENTER GAME OF THE WEEK: Gang Green Corrals Mustangs 44-14

Garrett Pendleton finds Johnson on a pass play.

Looking like that other “Gang Green” team up north (No. 1 ranked Oregon) that had annihilated UCLA 60-13 on Thursday, Bonita High School on Friday night at Glenn Davis stadium trampled the Walnut Mustangs, 44-14, in the Bearcats’ most dominant effort yet in its undefeated season.

At 5:51 in the first quarter, Bonita lit up the scoreboard when Giomani Johnson shook tacklers and burst down the northern sideline on an electrifying 65-yard run. Meanwhile, on defense, a host of Bonita tacklers led by Erick Mikity, K.C. Huth, Nick Pichotta and Seth Balentine, were flying to the ball to keep Walnut scoreless.

Early in the second, Walnut’s Randy Collins rumbled into the end zone on a 2-yard run, and after the extra point by Nicole McKee, the Mustangs were even at 7-7. That score proved to be Bonita’s wake-up call because the Bearcats responded with 23 straight points to close out the second quarter, showcasing its powerful combination of offense, defense and special teams.

Eric Mikity, No. 31, was wrapping people up all night long. -- All photos courtesy of Eric Davis.

In its first offensive series of the second quarter, Bonita went to its Wildcat, an offensive formation that features an unbalanced offensive line behind which running back Cameron Griffith takes the direct snap from center. Griffith capped a five-play, 1:42 drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to give Bonita a 14-7 lead after Brandt Davis’ extra point.

“The wildcat is something we practice all the time,” Bonita head coach Eric Podley said. “I don’t think we’ve used it enough in the season, but I thought Griff did a great job of running it.”

Then the game turned into the Eric Mikity show. On defense, Mikity, who had already blocked a punt in the first quarter, sacked Walnut quarterback Brandon Roach for a huge loss and then followed up the sack by blocking another punt for a safety to put Bonita up, 16-7.

After both teams traded sets of downs, Bonita went to work again from Walnut’s 30-yard line. On second down on the 19, Bonita quarterback Garrett Pendleton dumped a screen pass to Cameron Salce, who pitched the ball to Griffith, who ran the hook-and-ladder to perfection for a 19-yard touchdown. After the extra point, Bonita led 23-7.

“We actually tried a hook and ladder last week, but it didn’t come off too well,” Podley said. “This version was a little more successful. We had good blocking on the perimeter and Griff again did a great job or running it in.”

Cameron Griffith scored two touchdowns for Big Green.

After Bonita’s defense forced another put, the Bearcats once more went on the attack, starting on its own 44. This time, Bonita elected to move the ball through the air, with Pendleton throwing short passes to Devin Fasana, Reggie Turner, Salce and Garrett Horine. Then on first and 10 from Walnut’s 31, Johnson broke a tackle and bolted down the sideline for another six points. After the extra point, Bonita led 30-7.

It appeared Walnut might score before the half, but Huth blocked Walnut’s 27-yard field goal attempt as the half-time horn sounded.

Although Walnut quarterback Roach threw for 162 yards in the first half, including four passes to Aubrey Coleman for 88 yards, it was Bonita that was making all the highlight-reel plays while still featuring a balanced attack. In the first half, Bonita featured 283 yards of total offense, 155 yards passing and 128 yards rushing.

Podley has everyone's attention.

Bonita received the football to start the third period and promptly responded with a 66-yard drive culminating in a 27-yard hook-up between Pendleton and Grant Wharton. After the touchdown, Wharton spun the football like a top and was penalized for excessive celebration. Earlier in the game, Johnson had received the same unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for doing a front head flip when he scored his second touchdown.

It was that kind of emotional and free-wheeling game. The truth is, Bonita had a lot to celebrate. Other than surrendering a second touchdown to Collins, Bonita was playing good hard football all night long. Bonita finished the scoring on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Pendleton to Horine as the third quarter expired. And there the score remained. Lost in all the action and constant commotion, Matt Gelalich picked off three passes for Bonita. Horine had another.

Bonita applied pressure the entire night, playing at a higher level and tempo than its opponent. Walnut also played into Bonita’s hands when its quarterback, who was also the punter, stood just a short distance behind the offensive line to punt.

The Bearcats played hungry all night.

“A punter that close to the line of scrimmage was too tempting not to take a shot at him,” said Bonita head coach Eric Podley.”Huth and Mikity did a good job of getting pressure on the quarterback. Coach (Ray) Medina had some good stunts to stop some of their sprint-out game and limit their passing attack.”

Wherever you looked on the field, Bonita was making things happen and reversing a trend in past years of coming up short against Walnut.

The Bonita football team is drawing a crowd wherever it goes.

“This was an important game for us,” Podley said. “We haven’t played them well in the past. They’ve been a nemesis of ours, we’ve stubbed our toe against them time after time after time. So we wanted to kind of make a statement that we were going to get that monkey off our back. We’re in the toughest part of our schedule and we wanted to make a statement that we’re a contender.

“I thought the kids stepped up to try to make that happen.”

Next week, Bonita is contending on the road against West Covina.

“It’s going to take everything we got and then some against West Covina because they’re the real deal,” Podley added.

Bonita is also the real deal, like that other team up north that plays in Eugene and is also undefeated. Fasten your chin straps.

Each week seems to draw a bigger crowd.

For great home loans, call the good folks at Franklin Home Loan Center at (909) 962-6350. For great real estate information, call Coll (Colleen) Bennett at (909) 374-4744. For great football, head to Glenn Davis Stadium, home of the growling Bearcats. Again our thanks to photographer and artist extraordinaire Eric Davis for his outstanding photos.

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