Warren tops Downey to win league title

Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) makes a pass as they play Downey in their San Gabriel Valley League football game at Downey High School on Friday. Warren defeated Downey 26-16. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

DOWNEY – It was a night for the ages at the annual Warren-Downey high school crosstown football game.

Everything was on the line for both teams – a San Gabriel League title and of course city bragging rights for another year.

The atmosphere couldn’t have been any more electric, with over 8,000 screaming fans crammed into Allen Layne Stadium and a regional broadcast by Bally Sports West.

And, oh yes, the score – Warren 26, Downey 16.

“It’s incomparable, it’s truly incomparable,” Warren High School Athletic Director Samantha Miyahara said of the incredible scene. “I think it’s amazing that we’re able to give this to our student-athletes. The fact that they get to play in front of 8,000 fans in what becomes a bull-style stadium and it’s such a storied tradition. This marks the 64th time that these two schools faced off and it’s such a long-standing rivalry.

“So many of these boys played on the playground together and elementary school and now they get to take the field against each other.”

With the win, Warren won the SGV League title with a 4-0 record and finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record.

It was the fourth consecutive year that Warren has defeated Downey and second league championship in a row for the Bears.

Warren opens the 2021 playoffs with a CIF-SS first round game in Division 2 at home Friday, Nov. 5, against Corona del Mar (8-2).

Downey will travel to play Glendora (10-0) at Citrus College in a Division 3 game.

“Just these guys coming together and playing the way they do, is just a beautiful thing,” Warren third-year coach Kevin Pearson said. “When I first got here, I said it was the best kept secret in high school football in Southern California. Just the energy from the crowd and students is amazing and unbelievable.

Warren’s Romeo Clark (27) celebrates scoring a touchdown with Jordan Anderson (0) in their San Gabriel Valley League football game at Downey High School on Friday. Warren defeated Downey 26-16. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

“Downey is a good team and well-coached and they play hard. You can never count them out the way they play. Hats off to them.

“The city of Downey has something special here and it’s been a hidden gem for a long time.

“(Nicholaus) Iamaleava is a special young man. He’s a special talent, but he’s a special young man. I love him so much and the sky’s the limit for him. We have a bunch of great young men.”

Leading the way for Warren was 6-6 junior five-star quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (20 for 28) with 222 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown pass by Iamaleava was his 33rd of the season against only one interception. He also ran for a 12-yard score.

“This was a great experience for me, for sure,” said Iamaleava, who has multiple options for college. “Just to feel the energy of the crowd. Going into the game, I like these types of crowds and it makes me want to play even more. They filled it up (Friday) and it’s a big rivalry game. I knew about the Warren-Downey rivalry and got to play in it last year and feel it a little bit.

“Our game plan going into (the game), we knew we were going to pound the ball and our running backs did a great job getting yards after contact.”

On the ground, Bears junior running back Marcus Higgs carried the ball 19 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 51 yards.

Junior running back Romeo Clark rushed for 62 yards on seven carries for Warren and he also caught four passes for 30 yards and a 12-yard touchdown reception. Senior wide receiver Nick Colenzo caught five passes for 75 yards, while sophomore Jordan Anderson (2 catches) and senior Joshua Johnson (1 catch) had 28 and 30 yards receiving, respectively.

Warren totaled 425 yards overall, while Downey had 410.

Downey (8-2, 4-1) was led by senior quarterback Noah Paez (19 for 30) with 325 yards and touchdown pass. He also ran for 21 yards.

Senior running back Antonio Ruiz carried the ball eight times for 52 yards for the Vikings.

Downey senior Isaiah Blair caught five passes for a game-high 174 yards, while junior wide receiver Bryant Carey had eight catches for 106 yards and a 13-yard touchdown reception.

Keion Andrew (6 carries for 16 yards) rushed for a 2-yard score for the Vikings and junior kicker Isaac Madrid kicked a 23-yard field goal.

On the Bears’ first drive of the game, they started near midfield and marched right down the field, as Iamaleava opened the game with a 15-yard pass to Higgs and four rushes later he was in the end zone just barely two minutes into the game.

Downey’s Keion Andrew (21) runs in for a touchdown against Warren in their San Gabriel Valley League football game at Downey High School on Friday. Warren defeated Downey 26-16. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

Warren was driving on its next possession for a second touchdown and got down to the Downey 35-yard line after a 34-yard run by Clark. However, he fumbled the ball at the end of the run and Downey took over.

Paez, who was sacked numerous times in the game, led his team to its only lead of the game with a 63-yard drive, culminating with a 2-yard touchdown run by Andrew for the 7-6 lead late in the opening quarter……

Highlighting the drive was a 15-yard run by Paez and a 36-yard pass to Blair down to the Warren 2-yard line.

The lead was short-lived as Iamaleava connected with Anderson and Colenzo for 21 and 22-yard completions, respectively, deep into Vikings territory.

On the 12-yard line, Iamaleava faked a handoff to his running back, turned and found Clark at the 5-yard line, who easily scored. Warren led 12-7.

The Bears went for a 2-point try and Iamaleava went back to pass and with no one open he ran in for the conversion and the 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Downey had two chances to score later in the half, but came up short.

Paez, on a first-down play from his own 2-yard line, found Blair with a long pass and he ran to the Warren 13-yard line. Four plays later, the Warren defense stopped Downey on a 4th and seven inside the 10-yard line.

Warren failed to move the ball at all and after a very high, but short punt, it landed at the 16-yard line.

With time running out in the half, Paez scrambled and was sacked and on the next play the Bears’ defense held the Vikings again to end the half.

Downey opened the third quarter with a three-minute, 55-yard drive that stalled at the 6-yard line, ending with a 23-yard field goal by Madrid, to trail, 14-10, with 8:49 left in the quarter.

Warren head coach Kevin Pearson talks with Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) and Daniel Cassidy Jr. (14) after a play in their San Gabriel Valley League football game at Downey High School on Friday. Warren defeated Downey 26-16. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

The drive was highlighted by a 14-yard run by Paez and a 37-yard run by Ruiz to the Warren 15-yard line.

Warren extended the lead to 20-10, after Iamaleava again looked to pass to someone and found nothing, he easily ran in for an 11-yard score. The 2-point conversion pass was no good.

Downey again was faced with a fourth and long at the Warren 28-yard line, but the Bears’ defense came up with another sack of Paez for an 11-yard loss late in the third quarter,

Warren virtually put the game away with a 2-yard touchdown run by Higgs over the middle, to lead 26-10.

A late 13-yard touchdown pass by Paez to Carey with 38 seconds left ended the night for the Downey offense. A 2-point conversion pass attempt was intercepted in the end zone by the Bears.

What they said:

Noah Paez, Downey senior quarterback: “I think Warren was the better team (Friday). We didn’t meet our goal to win league, but now our goal is to win CIF.

“I think this was a big experience for all of us. We have to practice more in the red zone.

It’s a blessing to play in this game. Unfortunately, we didn’t win but all I know is we can’t let the school down.”

Jordan Anderson, Warren sophomore receiver: “I’ve been playing with Nico since I was 12 years old. He’s been my quarterback for a long time. The connection is already there.

“It was crazy (Friday), walking in and everything on the field. Downey came to play, but our running game helped our game. Nico is the best quarterback.

“League champion as a sophomore means a lot to me.”   

Romeo Clark, Warren junior running back: “I fumbled and had to make up for it for the team. I kept running hard for the team.

“I was a little nervous (with the crowd), but I pulled through it though. They couldn’t stop our running game.

“I’m happy we’re league champs and we practiced hard for this game. The most important thing is teamwork.

“Nico (Iamaleava) is a team player and he plays hard.”

Nic Iamaleava, Warren assistant coach: “It was a great game, a great game. Both sides played hard (Friday). We were a little sloppy.

“This atmosphere is something different and it’s ecstatic.”