PRHS varsity footballs perfect league record obstructed by Mission Royals after loss, 7-28
Bearcat varsity football fought a tough battle against the Mission Royals on Friday, Sept 30, 2022, resulting in the bearcats’ first loss of their league season with a score of 7-28. The Bearcats are now ranked third in the mountain league, with a record of 4-2 overall and a 2-1 league record. In front of the Bearcats are the Royals, second, and the St. Joseph Knights, first, who are 3-0 overall in league.
The Royals started the game strong with a touchdown within the first 37 seconds of the game, seemingly leaving the Bearcats discouraged for they knew that Mission would be hard to take on. As the first quarter came to a close, Mission scored yet another touchdown, making the score 0-14.
The fight was still burning inside the Bearcats however, within 12 minutes of the second quarter neither team scored, leaving the score 0-14 going into halftime. Junior Hayden Mckanna filled in as quarterback after senior Tyler Luna sustained an ankle injury in the second quarter.
The third quarter’s clock started, and as the battle continued to rage, Bearcat senior Leo Kemp rushed a one yard touchdown with the PAT point good, bringing the score to 7-14. Hope was burning throughout the Bearcat stands with parents and the sideline with cheerleaders, but as the Royals scored another touchdown, silence took over the field in the last four minutes.
Senior Ben Limpin and Senior Shane Vaughn were brought down during the Royals touchdown score, a rough collision that had occured. As Limpin was carried off the field by the help of coaches and teammates to the Bearcats sideline, Vaughn continued to lay on the ground near the opposing end zone not being able to move. Vaughn was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical center in SLO by ambulance, for a possible spinal cord injury and as prayers were sent to him the game picked up where it left off. The Royals kicked the PAT, marking the score 7-21 at the end of the quarter with three Bearcats down.
As the fourth quarter began the Bearcats fought valiantly but the Royals got past them scoring one more touchdown, 7-28 ending the game with the Bearcats’ first league loss. Next week the Bearcats play home against the St. Joseph Knights with kickoff starting at 7:00pm.
Featured Image by: Connor Rocha, photos by: Rogelio Molina
