LA VERNE — The Bonita girls flag football team came into its CIF Southern Section Division 2 first-round playoff game undefeated and averaging 26 points a game.
However, the dream season came crashing down as Sonora shut out the No. 2-seeded Bearcats 26-0 on Tuesday at Bonita High.
Bonita’s Simone Washington (13) charges through Sonora’s defense during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita’s Breanna Sandmark (17) tosses the ball past Sonora’s Liana Hwang (11) during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita’s Tressa Beatty (5) races ahead of Sonora’s Nevaeh Salcido (15) during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Head Coach, Paul Chiotti, right, wears a smile as he addresses his team following a 26-0 win over Bonita during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita huddles together before taking on Sonora in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Sophie Forrester (30) charges through the field during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita’s offense looks to the side line for the play call during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs against Sonora at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Brooke Piwowar (7) embraces Liana Hwang (11) after Hwang scored a touchdown against Bonita during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Anela Quinones (17) gets ready to fire off a pass during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita’s Tressa Beatty, center, scans the field for an open teammate to pass to during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs against Sonora at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Liana Hwang charges across the field during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita greets Sonora after losing 26-0 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora’s Samantha Myers (6) avoids getting her flag pulled by Bonita’s Victoria Johnson, right, during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Sonora celebrates after defeating Bonita, 26-0, in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 girls flag football playoffs at Bonita High School in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Two-way standout Liana Hwang of Sonora (11-5) had two interceptions she returned for touchdowns as the Raiders had their most impressive defensive effort of the season.
Hwang finished the game with three total touchdowns, two on defense and one on offense.
“It was an experience for sure. It’s our first CIF playoff (game) as a program and we just wanted to show out and represent what Sonora is,” Hwang said. “I just wanted to perform the best, not just for myself, but for the team as well as the school”
Sonora head coach Paul Chiotti said Hwang’s performance showed why he considers her one of the best players in the area.
“Liana Hwang, she’s one of the best ones around and I think she displayed that today with a couple of interceptions that she returned for touchdowns,” he said. “All in all, just super proud of these girls.”
Sonora will be home against Oxnard in the second round of the playoffs on Saturday.
During the regular season, Bonita quarterback Tressa Beatty did a great job of limiting the turnovers, throwing only seven interceptions across 14 games. The Raiders secondary gave her fits, as the junior threw five interceptions.
Beatty threw four of her interceptions in the first half, as the Sonora defense forced a turnover on four of the five drives for Bonita (14-1).
Bonita head coach Michael Mann said that despite his quarterback going through an off night, he never lost confidence in her.
“She’s been amazing for us all year, but the ball kinda just got away from her tonight,” Mann said. “Tressa Beatty is our MVP. I don’t care if she throws 25 interceptions in a game, I trust her the very next snap and that’s not going to change.”
Both teams exchanged interceptions to start the game, but on the Bearcats’ second drive Hwang picked up the first of her two pick-sixes to put Sonora up 7-0 less than five minutes into the first half.
Sonora’s Bayle Hunnicutt had two interceptions in the first half that helped the Raiders defense take control as the team built a 14-0 lead at the half.
“I was really focused on what I could do to benefit the team,” Hunnicutt said. “I read the ball really good today and I just went with it.”
Five plays into the second half, Bonita’s offense started moving the ball down the field and gaining momentum, but Hwang picked up her second interception of the game and returned it for a touchdown to make the score 20-0.
The Raiders offense did enough to keep the Bearcats off the field as they soaked up nearly three quarters of the possession time in the second half.
Hwang score her third touchdown of the game on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Anela Quinones with 3:16 left in the second half to push the Raiders’ lead to 26-0.
Hunnicutt said Sonora is going to stay focused on advancing in the first CIF-SS playoffs.
“It’s the first of many, we’re still on our way. (The) job is not finished yet,” she noted.
