Notre Dame falls to Serra in Mission League opener
In a game where both offenses struggled to get anything going and both quarterbacks combined for 16 completions, Serra edged Notre Dame 13-7 in a Mission League opener Friday night.
Serra running back Cincere Rhaney scored on a 35-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jimmy Butler at the end of the third quarter to close out the scoring for the Cavaliers.
“Our defense has been carrying us all year,” said Serra coach Scott Altenberg, “and obviously our running game, and we gotta get better at certain things if we wanna compete with these teams, but right now we'll take this win and go back into the lab and figure out what we have to do.”
Serra's defense was strong throughout the contest, allowing only 107 yards of total offense.
Notre Dame sophomore quarterback Wyatt Becker was held to 7 of 11 passing for 32 yards and was sacked three times.
The only score of the game for Notre Dame came on a QB sneak by Becker after the Knights (2-4, 0-1 Mission) were set up in prime field position at the Serra 3-yard line after Jamar Bell-Gonzalez of Serra muffed a punt.
“I thought we played well tonight; we're banged up and missing a couple guys, but we just kept battling,” Serra defensive back
Rodrick Pleasant said.
Serra (4-2, 1-0) was led on offense by running backs Rhaney and Kai Honda, who provided all the scoring for the Cavaliers. Rhaney carried 15 times for 80 yards and had two catches for 50 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown reception to seal the game for Serra.
Honda added 12 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown and added four receptions for 40 yards.
“I felt we could've done way better than what we showcased tonight,” Rhaney said. “We came out kind of sluggish, and the defense saved us.”
Serra scored on its opening drive, which took 15 plays and was capped by Honda's 2-yard rushing touchdown.
Serra's offense was not able to get anything going the rest of the first half. Butler threw interceptions on the next two drives.
Notre Dame was not able to take advantage of the interceptions.
Butler finished 9 of 14 for 144 yards and one touchdown.
Next week, Serra will take on Bishop Amat and Notre Dame will face Chaminade.
Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert stood near the 50-yard line before Friday night's game against Westlake, away from his team, observing the Warriors.
“I know their players inside and out,” Benkert said.
Beyond the field, he knows the stadium inside and out, right down to the seats in the bleachers that were designated specifically for his mom, as well as the Marmonte League as a whole.
After all, he did spend 26 seasons as a coach at Westlake, winning CIF and state titles in 1999 and 2003. He spent two seasons at Oaks Christian after that before heading to Simi Valley and lifting a previously lackluster program to back-to-back Canyon League titles in 2020 and 2021.
Most of Benkert's coaching staff followed him to each of the schools he's coached at — one of his assistants currently teaches at Westlake.
An intense Marmonte League-opening matchup between Westlake and Simi Valley, new to the league this season, squashed any lingering feelings of nostalgia. It took the Pioneers a full four quarters plus two overtimes to come out with a 2120 win.