Vanden (12-2) will take on Rio Hondo Prep (13-1) in Saturday’s CIF State Division 3-A Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific time at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of ...

(Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham) LONG BEACH — Rio Hondo Prep’s football team came as close as you can to winning a state championship, coming up a yard short in a gut-wrenching finish.

Rio Hondo Prep has 71 boys enrolled in its school, and 43 students play in the Kares’ football program. They all play multiple sports, building connections all year long beyond the gridiron.

Rio Hondo Prep players signal a touchdown scored during the fourth quarter of the Division 3-A Southern California Regional against Poway at Poway High School in Poway on Saturday, Dec. 07, 2024.

Standing in Vanden’s way is Rio Hondo Prep, a small school from Arcadia with an enrollment of just 120 students. Despite its size, Rio Hondo Prep is no easy team to beat. The Kares have taken ...

Rio Hondo Prep will take on another large public school as it eyes the program's first-ever CIF State title. Rio Hondo Prep, a small private school with just 71 boys, has been one of the great ...

It's clearly the case in the CIF 3-A state high school football championship. Rio Hondo Prep (13-1) makes running the football an art form, and enters the state finals with 4,591 yards and 64 ...

Noah Penunuri, Rio Hondo Prep: Rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in overtime loss to Vanden. • Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes: Completed 20 of 25 passes for 353 yards while tying the state ...

(Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham) LONG BEACH — Rio Hondo Prep’s football team came as close as you can to winning a state championship, coming up a yard short in a gut-wrenching finish. After Noah ...