Franco Alonso Walks off field From STAFF REPORTS So, picture it. You’re Franco Alonso, one of the area’s best and most versatile prep athletes. The Poly senior helped the Panthers win a CIF title in baseball four months ago or so, and he was part of the football program last year that won its second […]
Franco Alonso Walks off field
From STAFF REPORTS
So, picture it.
You’re Franco Alonso, one of the area’s best and most versatile prep athletes.
The Poly senior helped the Panthers win a CIF title in baseball four months ago or so, and he was part of the football program last year that won its second consecutive Prep League title.
But back on October 13, Poly fell, 53-42, at Santa Clarita Christian in the Prep League opener, which made another league championship an unlikely scenario.
Poly did what it had to do against an over-matched Vasquez team last week and then the Panthers were set to finish off their regular season schedule Friday night at rival, Rio Hondo Prep in Arcadia.
The Kares were the only remaining unbeaten team in league heading into the Week 10 games, and with a loss, Poly would have to watch the playoffs from the stands.
How would Alonso and his boys react?
According to the senior and his coach, Chris Schmoke, they had never seen a more focused and ready team for any week over the past few years.
From the opening kickoff, when Jackson Treister brought it back 95 yards for the score, it was all Poly.
The Panthers defeated Rio Hondo Prep, 28-7, and earned a share of the Prep League championship.
It was their third straight title
Connor Henderson and Ryan Khazra both caught short TD passes from Robbie Wilson.
And Treister had a 40-yard TD run before leaving the game late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.
Alonso, who has meant so much to the program the past two years, didn’t score, but he did his damage with a pair of interceptions on defense.
Poly will wait until Sunday morning at 10 a.m. when CIF releases the playoff football brackets.
For those wondering, the reason Poly only played 9 regular season games this season was because CIF moved up the week zero kickoff from previous years to August 17, and they would have not had enough people on campus then to field a team.
Quotable:
Poly coach Chris Schmoke: “This might be the most focused group I have ever had for a game. They had no doubt in their mind that they were going to win. They prepared hard and played harder. It’s one of my proudest moments as a coach.”
Poly senior Franco Alonso: “It was great as a senior with our backs against the wall to be able to get the victory against our rivals, Rio. I knew right after the first kick return for a touchdown by Jackson Treister that our intensity level was hitting another gear today. We came out fired up and each and every one of the seniors personally made sure that it would not be our last game. I’m glad our team was able to win a third straight Prep League title and I’m excited for the playoffs.”
Prep League Scores:
Santa Clarita Christian 48, Vasquez 12
Poly 28, Rio Hondo Prep 7
Prep League Regular Season Standings:
Poly (7-2 overall, 2-1 in league)
Santa Clarita Christian (7-3, 2-1)
Rio Hondo Prep (6-3, 2-1)
Vasquez (1-9, 0-3)
