Royal Knights extend win streak to 33 games

BENTON CITY — Sawyer Jenks tossed three first quarter TD passes, the Knights defense created five turnovers, and Royal skinned the Ki-Be Bears 49-0 in a SCAC East Conference tilt in Benton City Friday. The lopsided victory kept the State’s longest win streak in tact at 33 games.

“Our defense set the tone for us early with three turnover in the first quarter,” coach Wiley Allred said. “Eddie Cortez, CJ Quintero and Corbin Christensen had interceptions — Corbin’s was a 45-yard pick-six.”

The Knights also recovered two Ki-Be fumbles in the contest, and held the Bears to 136 passing yards and minus 35 yards on the ground.

Jenks and Christensen combined for the first Royal score when the two hooked up for a 41-yard pitch and catch. The PAT failed and the Knights led 6-0. Alonso Hernandez, who had been nursing an injured foot, burst through the Bears defense for a 23-yard touchdown run. The kick by Osvaldo Guerrero was true this time and Royal pushed the score to 13-0. Hernandez lead the Knights ground attack with 83 yards on nine carries.

“He ran well,” Allred said. “His foot is healing up — its good to have him back on the offensive side of the ball.”

Christensen’s interception return for a score made it 20-0 at the end of the first 12 minutes.

Two Jenks TD passes; a 60 yard strike to the Knights deep threat Angel Farias (2-point conversion) and a 15-yard toss to Christensen, and a short touchdown run by Jenks, put Royal up top 42-0 at the half.

The Knights backed off the accelerator in the second half, scoring once on a Yovani Cruz 7-yard run in the third quarter. The Bears mounted just one legitimate scoring threat in the game; a 14-play drive that ended with a fumble at the Knights 15 yard line.

Royal (6-0,4-0) is deadlocked with Connell (6-0,4-0) at the top of the conference standings. The two 1A powerhouses butt heads Friday night at David Nielsen Stadium with the victor taking over sole possession of first in the standings.

Kickoff is 7 p.m.