(Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham) LONG BEACH — Rio Hondo Prep’s football team came as close as you can to winning a state championship, coming up a yard short in a gut-wrenching finish.

Rio Hondo Prep players signal a touchdown scored during the fourth quarter of the Division 3-A Southern California Regional against Poway at Poway High School in Poway on Saturday, Dec. 07, 2024.

Rio Hondo Prep has 71 boys enrolled in its school, and 43 students play in the Kares’ football program. They all play multiple sports, building connections all year long beyond the gridiron.

POWAY – Rio Hondo Prep is a small private Christian high school in Arcadia. Enrollment: barely 100. Seventy-one of the students are male, and 44 of them play varsity football. But what the Kares ...

Rio Hondo Prep junior Noah Penunuri is on an amazing playoff run, reminding coach Mark Carson of Landon Goodwell, a player many consider the school’s best running back and player of all-time. Goodwell ...

Noah Penunuri, Rio Hondo Prep: Rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in overtime loss to Vanden. • Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes: Completed 20 of 25 passes for 353 yards while tying the state ...

Standing in Vanden’s way is Rio Hondo Prep, a small school from Arcadia with an enrollment of just 120 students. Despite its size, Rio Hondo Prep is no easy team to beat. The Kares have taken ...

Rio Hondo Prep 28, Poway 14 (Final) Final update: Rio Hondo Prep knocks off Poway to win the CIF State Division 3-A South Regional title game. The Kares advance to their first state championship ...

Rio Hondo Prep’s run-heavy offense and Noah Penunuri delivered another dominant playoff performance, and the Kares also got a clutch performance from quarterback Yanick Diaz to keep their dream ...