Bonita Shines Brighest on Homecoming Night with Amazing 35-28 Comeback — Homecoming Photos!!!

October 22, 2011

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Like its new homecoming queen, Alexis Broussard, Bonita was all smiles after its 35-28 win over Los Altos. Football photos will be posted later today.

Its season on the line, its back to the wall, with seven starters nursing injuries watching from the sidelines and the team trailing 21-7 at the start of the fourth quarter, Bonita scored four touchdowns in the final 12 minutes to defeat Los Altos, 35-28.

Under the direction of senior signal caller Aaron Burgett, the Bearcats started running wild, led by senior Cameron Griffin (137 yards on 20 carries) and junior Reggie Turner (89 yards on 19) carries.

With 9:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, down 21-7, Turner punched in a 1-yard-touchdown, capping an 88-yard drive, aided by a personal foul call against Los Altos and a gutsy decision by Bonita head coach Eric Podley to keep the drive alive by running instead of punting on a fourth-and- two on the Bearcats’ own 39-yard-line.

Any thoughts of a comeback, however, appeared deader than Kelsey’s nutmeg, when Los Altos struck right back on a second down and 19 as Conquerors quarterback Shane Virnala found Andy Sotelo for a 56-yard scoring strike to expand Los Altos’ lead to 28-14 with 6:43 left in the contest.

Bonita promptly responded with a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive of its own, featuring Turner and Griffin and one key pass completion from Burgett to Austin Venegas. On third and goal from the 1-yard-line, Griffin crossed the scoring stripe to make the score 28-21 after Brandt Davis’ extra point.

In one of the lesser heralded plays of the night, forgotten in all the homecoming hoopla and hysteria, Davis dribbled an onsides kick that he recovered to put the Bearcats in business again. Four plays later, featuring Griffin and Turner again, Bonita was in the end zone, the last play on a 15-yard gallop by Griffin.

Suddenly, the homecoming crowd had come alive, like a Halloween ghost told it was youthful again. After Los Altos’ special team’s muffed a kick that sailed over the punter’s head, Bonita took over on the Conqueror’s 17-yard line. Two plays later, Bonita scored again. Bonita used a little pre-Halloween trickery on the go-ahead play, which was a reverse from Burkett to Griffin to Turner, Bonita’s three new amigos.

If there was any rap against Bonita, it was the Bearcats might have scored too swiftly, leaving the Conquerors’ Virnala just under two minutes to take his team down the field. Bonita’s Brenden Smith, however, sealed the victory by intercepting a deflection and running down the northern sideline before judiciously stepping out of bounds.

“We just had the belief that if we kept playing hard, good things would happen,” Podley said.

That belief was severely tested in the first half, which saw Bonita trailing 21-7 at the intermission. About the only thing the homecoming crowd could celebrate had to celebrate was the coronation of homecoming queen Alexis Broussard and her court.

Los Altos scored touchdowns on all three possessions, controlling the clock and taking Bonita’s hometown crowd out of the game. Bonita’s lone touchdown came on a 1-yard touchdown run by newcomer Nick Todorovich (Nick, where have you been?)

In the second half, Podley picked up the pace of the game, which started to wear on Los Altos.

“We realized that we needed to get back into our fast-paced offense; picking up the tempo really helped us,” Podley said.

The Bonita offense was on speed dial the remainder of the game, ditching the pass and running the ball almost exclusively.

“We’ve come to the belief that we’re a better running team than a passing team,” Podley added.

About senior running backs Griffin and Turner, who shouldered much of the load in the second half, Podley said he was only too happy to listen to their input.

“They told me last week that if I put the ball in their hands, good things would happen, and they made me a believer tonight. And let’s not discount the job the offensive line did. Almost every one of those guys goes both ways. They did a great job of blocking.”

It was a must-win game for Bonita. The Bearcats were feeling the heat of a promising season going down the drain with one more loss.

“We talked about it all week long,” Podley said. “I think they felt the pressure. I know coach Podley certainly did.

From left, Lindsay Anderson, Amanda Le, Gabby McGarry and Kaylee Eaton are button-cute Bearcat supporters. All photos by Suzana Munson.

Senior moments -- varsity senior cheer.

The varsity cheer team had much to cheer about, especially late in the game.

Cowboys Lorenzo Lizardi, Alex Munson, Matt Adamo and Frank Schwamborn lasso homecoming queen Alexis Broussard.

Because of the luck that Alexis Broussard, McKenna Tippings and Sydney Johnson brought the Bearcats, coach Podley may insist they come to all of Bonita's remaining games dressed like prom queens.