Damien hadn't done well against Rancho Cucamonga recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Damien Spartans had just enough and edged the Rancho Cucamonga Cougars out 34-31. This was payback for the Spartans, who suffered a 36-35 defeat the last time these two teams met.
Isaiah Arriaza was his usual excellent self, throwing for 262 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 66 yards on only six carries. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in rushing yards.
When it comes to explaining why Rancho Cucamonga lost, don't look at Jacob Chambers. Despite the final result, he threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 13.3 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown on only 11 carries. Daniel Wimbush was another key player, picking up 143 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Damien pushed their record up to 8-2 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. A key ingredient in that success has been their rushing production: they averaged an imposing 155.6 rushing yards in those games compared to only 155.6 in the others. As for Rancho Cucamonga, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 6-4.
Damien wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next matchup, a 42-7 loss against San Clemente on the 8th. Rancho Cucamonga has also already played their next game, a 49-42 defeat against Murrieta Valley on the 8th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
