Pioneer shuts out Panorama to win the Division 7-A regional football title
WHITTIER – Last week the Pioneer football team made its first trip to the CIF Southern Section football finals and won the Division 14 title.
Darean Bullard #17 of Pioneer Titans recovers fumble by Panorama Pythons and runs for a touchdown in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jacob Rayas #3 of Pioneer Titans catches a pass for a first down over Brandon Hernandez #5 of Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jose Rojas #4 of Pioneer Titans catches a pass for a touchdown against Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Damian Salguero #2 of Pioneer Titans dives for the touchdown against Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jose Rojas #4 of Pioneer Titans catches a pass for a touchdown against Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Damian Salguero #2 of Pioneer Titans runs for yardage against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jose Rojas #4 of Pioneer Titans tackles Brandon Hernandez #5 of Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jose Rojas #4 of Pioneer Titans dives for the first down against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Quarterback Amiri Resendiz #15 of Pioneer Titans scrambles for yardage against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Quarterback Amiri Resendiz #15 of Pioneer Titans scrambles for yardage against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Darean Bullard, left, of Pioneer Titans recovers fumble by Panorama Pythons and runs for a touchdown in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jose Rojas #4 of Pioneer Titans dives for the first down against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jacob Rayas #3 of Pioneer Titans catches a pass for a first down over Brandon Hernandez #5 of Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Adrian Lopez #8 of Pioneer Titans runs for a first down against the Panorama Pythons in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jacob Rayas #3 of Pioneer Titans reaches for a pass against the Panorama Pythons in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Steven Roman #9 of Pioneer Titans reaches for a pass against the Panorama Pythons in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Darean Bullard #17 of Pioneer Titans recovers fumble by Panorama Pythons and runs for a touchdown in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Head coach Ramon Juarez of Pioneer Titans holds up the championship plaque after defeating the Panorama Pythons 24-0 to win a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Brandon Hernandez #5 of Panorama Pythons runs for yardage against the Pioneer Titans in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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Darean Bullard #17 of Pioneer Titans recovers fumble by Panorama Pythons and runs for a touchdown in the second half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division 7-A championship football game at Pioneer High School in Whittier on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
On Saturday it added another championship beating the Los Angeles City Section’s Panomara 24-0 in the CIF State Division 7-A South regional final.
Pioneer is not done, it will take on San Francisco’s Balboa, a 41-6 winner over Los Molinos, in next Saturday’s Division 7-A state championship game at Fullerton High school at 11 a.m.
After gaining a comfortable 17-0 lead in the third quarter, Pioneer was able to ice the game in the final two minutes when Darean Bullard recovered a fumble and ran it 25 yards for a score.
“I saw the opportunity I had to take it home,” Bullard said. “That’s all we’ve been talking about all week and we’ve been working really hard towards it.”
Coming into the game, both Pioneer and Panorama seemed evenly matched. The Titans came into the playoffs with an at-large bid following a 5-5 record. The Pythons finished the regular season with a 4-7 record.
Both teams received an opportunity to play in their section playoffs and won championships to play another week.
“The kids were kind of focused at the end of the season, they weren’t sure we were gonna make the playoffs because we were an at large team,” Pioneer coach Ramon Juarez said prior to the start of the game. “Once we got the opportunity they really put their nose to the grindstone.”
Throughout the night, Pioneer displayed an excellent brand of football on all three phases of the game. The Titans’ defense forced the Pythons offense to four three and out’s and gave up only five first downs.
“They did their job, they did what they’re supposed to do.” Pioneer quarterback Amiri Resendiz said following Saturday’s game.
The Pythons, who are well known as a run-first offense, ran the ball 31 times for 87 yards. Victor Mendez ran the ball 14 times for 45 yards. In the air, they passed the ball just once for a five-yard completion.
Mendez originally started the year playing fullback but was moved to running back after injuries plagued the Pythons during the regular season.
“We put him at running back and out of nowhere, he’s just making nonfullback plays with juking, spinning, hurdling defenders,” Panorama coach Adrian Beltran said. “We were like ‘Wait a minute. This guy can run. And he’s durable and a big boy.”
Pioneer had no issues getting its offense going. The Titans scored on their first two drives.
The first was from a 30-yard field goal by Sean Gamon. The second score came on a 3-yard touchdown run by Damian Salguero.
“We worked all year for this,” Salguero said. “We started in January and it’s a long way to come.”
Jose Rojas, who is responsible for catching 12 of quarterback Amiri Resendiz’s 15 touchdowns this season, scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter, which was his 21st touchdown.
After dropping two receptions that looked likely to result in touchdowns, Rojas found redemption.
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As Resendiz continued to trust his favorite target, he threw a ball into the endzone that Rojas juggled around his hands. Making an adjustment, he was able to haul the ball in and put his team ahead by three scores.
“I was like father God, please let me catch that ball,” Rojas said. “I just had to get another one. I got that touchdown and made up for it.”
Despite not having his best game offensively, Rojas’ presence was felt on the defensive side. When Panorama had their first pass attempt on a five-yard reception in the second quarter, Rojas came away with a big hit that knocked Pythons receiver Brandon Hernandez down immediately.
“When I seen that flat route going by, my coach the whole week said ‘Fly up or imma take you out.” Rojas said. “So I flew up and I popped him.”
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