ANAHEIM – Orange County was represented after all in the CIF Pac-5 Division football final at Angel Stadium on Saturday night.
Running back Sammonte Bonner doesn’t have the strongest ties to the county but he played a large role for Centennial of Corona, which dethroned top-seeded St. John Bosco, 48-41, in front of 11,596.
Bonner, a junior who once practiced with Tesoro and tried to attend the South County school, rushed for 227 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries to help the Huskies (12-2) capture their first Pac-5 title.
The yards, touchdowns and carries were career highs for Bonner, a 5-foot-7 160-pounder.
“Couldn’t do it without my offensive line – they made it happen up front,” he said. “I just hit the holes and made the rest happen.”
Bonner emerged a main threat for the Huskies after former JSerra running back JJ Taylor had his appendix removed the day before the Huskies’ second round clash against Mater Dei.
Bonner said he practiced with Tesoro before his freshman year of 2012 but didn’t attend the school, whose football program was then led by Coach Brian Barnes.
He ended up at Santiago of Corona, where he played cornerback as a freshman. He transferred to Centennial for his sophomore season.
Bonner racked up 172 yards and three TDs to help spark the Huskies’ explosive first half, which they owned, 34-14.
After the teams traded touchdowns twice, Bonner broke a 63-yard touchdown run with 5:21 left in the second quarter, igniting a 20-point outburst.
On St. John Bosco’s next possession, hard-hitting safety Chacho Ulloa recovered a fumble at the Braves 28. Three plays later, quarterback Anthony Catalano tossed an 18-yard TD pass on a quick out to standout wide receiver Javon McKinley as the Huskies opened a 27-14 lead with 4:20 left in the first half. The extra-point failed.
Centennial then forced another stop and capitalized after a 13-yard punt went out of bounds at the Braves 48. The Huskies picked up one first down – on a run by Bonner – before their drive stalled and encountered a fourth-and-4. But quarterback Nate Ketteringham, who split time with Catalano, made the Braves pay with a 32-yard TD pass to Greyson Bankhead with 2:14 left in the half.
Centennial led, 34-14, at halftime. The Braves drew within seven points twice in the second half but couldn’t catch the Huskies.
“It’s unreal,” Centennial coach Matt Logan said of the Pac-5 competition. “This was our biggest margin of victory (in the playoffs). That’s crazy. … That’s how tough this division is.”
Trinity League champion St. John Bosco ended 12-2.
