FRANKLIN LOAN CENTER GAME OF THE WEEK: Bonita Homecoming Crowd Goes Gaga Over Bearcats Fast Start En Route to 57-0 Win — NEW PHOTOS JUST IN

With the game a runaway, the Bonita crowd could concentrate on more important things, like who would be named Homecoming Queen -- Jasmine Beller -- and who was the dancer so perfectly imitating and hiding behind her Lady Gaga mask.

Whoever wrote, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” didn’t know what he was talking about.

In the opening quarter of its football game against Rowland High School on Friday night at Glenn Davis Stadium, Bonita scored so many times that the horn-blowing band members’ cheeks began to ache and the cheerleaders got winded from dashing to the end zone so often to celebrate.

Rowland didn’t know what hit them. The tidal wave of points scored by Bonita was bigger than the Republican tsunami on Election Tuesday. When the first quarter buzzer sounded, Bonita had put up 36 points. The game, which Bonita eventually won, 57-0, was over before it began.

After losing its first game to West Covina the previous week, Bonita coach Eric Podley wanted his team to forget that performance and start fast for its homecoming crowd. He got his wish and more, producing the most lopsided victory in the 11-year Podley era.

“We wanted to come back and be emotionally strong after last week’s devastating loss, and I think they did that,” Podley said. “We wanted to start fast and play fast, and I thought that first quarter was pretty fast.”

After holding the Raiders to a four-and-out series after the opening kickoff, Bonita took over on its own 43-yard line and methodically worked its way down the field, showcasing the skills of running backs Cameron Griffith and Giomani Johnson and wide receiver Garrett Horine, who caught a yard-gobbling pass over the middle and then scored on a 6-yard end-around run to give Bonita a quick 7-0 lead after the extra point.

On the Raiders’ first play in their next offensive set, Bonita cornerback Toure McCulley stepped in front of a Michael Balll pass and ran it back for a 23-yard touchdown interception with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

It got worse from there for the Raiders. On fourth down, a wall of Bonita defenders, led by Daniel Harriman, blocked the Raiders’ punt, which K.C. Huth recovered in the end zone to make the score 22-0 after a successful 2-point try. There was still 4:37 left in the first period.

In their next series, the Raiders started on their own 25 and once more self-destructed. Bonita’s Griffith recovered a fumble, giving the Bearcats first-and-goal at the Raiders’ 9-yard line. Seconds later Huth ran it from the 1-yard-line on a quarterback keeper. After the extra point, Bonita led 29-0 with 2:40 left.

Three offensive plays later, the Raiders handed the ball over yet again, this time on a nifty interception by Seth Balentine on Rowland’s 35-yard line. Four plays later, Garrett Pendleton threw a 22-yard scoring strike to Daniel Harriman. After the extra point, the first quarter was mercifully over, Bonita taking a 36-0 lead into the locker room.

In the second half, Bonita notched down the attack, but still it was impossible to put the brakes on completely. The Bearcats led 50-0 at half time. It was Reggie Turner time, who scored on a 29-yard pass play and then right before the half on a strike by reserve quarterback Greg Spathias.

“Our theme this week was to gain redemption through victory,” Podley said.

They gained more than redemption and respect for the program. They gained a better seed for the upcoming playoffs and sent a message to scoreboard watchers around the Hacienda League that Bonita is here to stay and here to play.

J.C. Huth crashes in for the tackle. All photos courtesy of Eric Davis.

K.C. Huth recovers loose ball for a Bonita touchdown.

Huth hotly pursues the loose football.

Reggie Turner takes it to the house.

A wall of Bonita defenders block Rowland's punt.

Huth celebrates in the end zone.

Bonita fans roar their approval.

Bonita played the way Jasmine Beller sparkled.

Tori Kuhn as Lady Gaga rocked.

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Our thanks again to Eric Davis for his exquisite photography work each week, capturing the game’s big plays and special moments!