FOOTBALL: Rio Hondo Prep has one thing on its mind, a title

Kares look to move ahead
RH Prep far from pleased despite 8-2 mark in 2006

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/25/2007 01:55:21 AM PDT

ARCADIA - An 8-2 record ordinarily would be deemed a success.
For the Rio Hondo Prep football team, it was a record that could be termed as unacceptable.
Success has become the standard at the little school nestled in Arcadia, the type of success that involves rings and accolades.
Over the years, the Kares have won 11 CIF-Southern Section football championships - nine in eight-man football, one six-man and one 11-man.
They also have been runners-up on six occasions.
After finishing runner-up in 2004, Rio Hondo Prep won the Division XIII title in 2005.
A 20-0 defeat at the hands of Pasadena Poly last season for the Prep League championship and a first-round loss to Aquinas in the East Valley Division playoffs didn't sit well with many of the Kares.
"Here at Rio Hondo Prep, the No. 1 goal is always to win a CIF title," Kares coach Ken Drain said. "That's what everyone comes in thinking."
Drain, entering his seventh season, is ready to pound the football with senior tailback Trevor Finchamp getting most of the carries.
Finchamp led the Kares in rushing in 2006 with 683 yards and four touchdowns.
He was left empty-handed, however.
"I haven't really handled a loss like that since junior high," Finchamp said of the 28-7 loss to Aquinas. "It's pretty much devastating when you work up your whole year and see how the seniors felt.
"It definitely makes me want to avenge that this year."
Finchamp's job doesn't end on offense. He is a linebacker on defense and the team's kicker.
Finchamp led the team with four sacks.
"Trevor does just about everything for us," Drain said. "He's a great running back, blocks well, does a great job at linebacker and he's our kicker.
"We expect him to get points in a lot of ways for us this year."
After seeing limited action as a backup a year ago, Dan Castro appears ready to lead the Kares back to the next level.
Castro completed just over 50 percent of his passes last season for 413 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.
"He played about four games last year and did well, but his varsity experience is very limited," Drain said.
Tim Esquerra and Alex McNees will be Castro's main targets.
Esquerra was second on the team with 13 catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns a year ago, and McNees caught eight passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Castro, at 5-foot-9, may not have the ideal size to be a quarterback, but he recalls the Kares' signal-caller from the 2005 championship team.
"Two years ago, Will Torrico, about my same size, showed a lot of leadership, and I'm thinking about doing the same thing," Castro said.
The Kares open the season at Bakersfield Christian on Sept. 7.

GAME RESCHEDULED
Blair's season opener against Marshall has been moved to Sept. 7 at Muir High.

ONE MORE WEEK
Four games will kick off the 2007 season on Aug. 31. Gabrielino travels to Pioneer, Monrovia hosts Montclair, Pasadena is at Harvard-Westlake and San Gabriel opens at Walnut.