Rio Hondo gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Thursday. They took their game at home with ease, bagging a 73-20 victory over the Valley View Tigers. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Bobcats as it put an end to their three-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Ruben Atkinson was a one-man wrecking crew for Rio Hondo as he threw for 208 yards and five touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes. Another player making a difference was Mario Lopez, who rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns on only ten carries.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Rio Hondo was moving up and down the field and finished the game with 441 total yards. That's the most total yards they've posted since back in September of 2023.
Rio Hondo's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged five passes before it was all said and done. Rene Farias led the group effort, picking up three of those interceptions all by himself. He didn't just play on offense: he also made three total tackles and defended a pass in addition to snagging three interceptions. Another thorn in Valley View's side was Antonio Rodriguez, who made nine total tackles (6.0 for loss).
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Rio Hondo will take on Port Isabel at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for Valley View, they will venture away from home to challenge Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Southwest at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
