Patriots travel 125 miles for road win

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

CHRISTIAN 42, RANCHO MIRAGE 14

EastCountySports.com staff report

RANCHO MIRAGE – The Christian High Patriots opened the 2025 season with a 42-14 road victory at Rancho Mirage on Thursday night, completing the 125-mile trip with a performance that combined timely offensive execution and opportunistic defense.

The first quarter was a defensive battle. Both teams moved the ball into field-goal range at times, but penalties and solid defensive play repeatedly stalled drives. Rancho Mirage’s defense forced a stop on a Patriots’ red-zone possession, holding Christian on fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line, and the teams went scoreless through the opening 12 minutes.

Christian finally broke through midway through the second quarter. After moving the ball efficiently on a short series of runs and short passes, senior running back Jacob Kirchoefer capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, giving the Patriots a 7-0 lead. Rancho Mirage attempted to answer but was hampered by a holding penalty and was forced to punt on its ensuing drive.

Late in the second quarter, Christian extended the lead. Quarterback Kaleb Runkle hit Roman Gustin for a 9-yard touchdown pass with just 10 seconds remaining before halftime. Hank Houston punched in the two-point conversion to make it 15-0 at the break. Rancho Mirage’s defense had kept the Patriots off the scoreboard for long stretches, but missed assignments and penalties in the red zone contributed to the halftime deficit.

Christian opened the second half with immediate pressure. On Rancho Mirage’s first play from scrimmage, the Patriots forced a fumble and recovered it near midfield. Two plays later, Runkle found Kai Rosier for a 34-yard touchdown strike. The extra point was blocked, leaving Christian with a 21-0 lead.

Moments later, Christian extended its lead again. Julian Morones broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run to push the margin to 28-6. Rancho Mirage briefly thought it had answered on a 57-yard screen pass late in the third quarter, but a penalty erased the play. After nearly three quarters, Christian maintained a 28-0 advantage.

Rancho Mirage responded with an 80-yard drive, moving the ball through short passes and runs inside the Christian 5-yard line before quarterback Julian Hernandez scored on a 2-yard keeper. The PAT failed, cutting the deficit to 28-6.

Early in the fourth quarter, Kirchoefer scored his second touchdown of the night on a 9-yard run to make it 35-6. Rancho Mirage answered immediately on the next drive with a 3-yard run by Chase Miller and a two-point conversion pass to Aniken Castrejon, narrowing the score to 35-14.

Christian responded in dramatic fashion on the very next snap. Runkle threw a short pass to Rosier on the right flank, and the junior receiver raced 80 yards for a touchdown, slicing through the Rattlers’ secondary and putting the game out of reach at 42-14 with under five minutes remaining.

Rancho Mirage recovered a late Patriots fumble near midfield, but Christian’s defense held, forcing a turnover on downs and running out the clock. The Patriots’ ability to convert turnovers into points and respond quickly after Rancho Mirage scores proved decisive.

The win comes in head coach Patrick Bugg’s fourth season with the Patriots.

The Rattlers, under head coach LD Matthews, who guided the team to a 6-5 record last season including a 4-1 DEL mark and a first-round CIF-SS playoff loss to Beckman, are a three-time defending DEL champ.

Christian now shifts focus to next Saturday’s matchup at Bishop’s, scheduled for 7 p.m.

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By Quarters
Christian ……    0 15 13 14 — 42
Rancho Mirage … 0  0  6  8 — 14

Scoring Summary

2nd Quarter

• CHR – Jacob Kirchoefer 11 run (kick good). Christian 7-0

• CHR – Roman Gustin 9 pass from Kaleb Runkle (Hank Houston run). Christian 15-0

3rd Quarter

• CHR – Kai Rosier 34 pass from Runkle (kick blocked). Christian 21-0

• CHR – Julian Morones 26 run (kick good). Christian 28-0

• RM – Julian Hernandez 2 run (kick failed). Christian 28-6

4th Quarter

• CHR – Kirchoefer 9 run (kick good). Christian 35-6

• RM – Chase Miller 3 run (Miller pass to Aniken Castrejon). Christian 35-14

• CHR – Rosier 80 pass from Runkle (kick good). Christian 42-14

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