Valiants Fall Short to Great Oak in CIF Playoff Showdown
The St. Genevieve Valiants, despite a promising start, succumbed to the Great Oak Wolfpack with a final score of 27-17 in the second round of the Division 9 CIF Southern Section football playoffs. The game was fiercely contested, with the Valiants unable to sustain their momentum after their initial touchdown.
Head coach Billy Parra reflected on the game, noting, “We got tested today… They stopped one of our top players and we couldn’t get going offensively.” The Valiants struggled with offensive execution, managing only 22 plays in the first half compared to the Wolfpack’s 36. The Valiants’ only first-half points came from a 46-yard touchdown pass from Michael Wynn to Ramario Rivas, which resulted from apparent defensive lapses on Great Oak’s part.
The Wolfpack controlled the game through relentless drives, with Ryder Smith leading their offense, amassing 183 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. Just when the Valiants seemed poised to mount a comeback with a 1-yard touchdown by Andy Carballo, the Wolfpack answered decisively—sealing the game on a 27-yard rushing touchdown by their quarterback, Reagan Ricken.
In a last-ditch effort to swing momentum, Valiants’ standout Jaylin Burt intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to change the outcome, as the Valiants ultimately turned the ball over on downs.
“It just didn’t go our way today, but I’m super proud of them,” Parra concluded. The loss eliminated St. Genevieve from the playoffs, ending their season with resilience and heart.
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