RAMONA — All season long, Christian High has made its name on the road—tough environments, long trips, and hostile crowds haven’t shaken the Patriots.
On Friday night, in one of the county’s toughest venues, they delivered their biggest road win yet. In Christian’s eighth road game of the season, the Patriots pulled off their third road win of the campaign, all against good opposition. And this one just happened to come in the playoffs.
Behind another explosive showing from junior quarterback Kaleb Runkle, a relentless defensive front, and the second clutch kick of the season from senior Steven Benson, sixth-seeded Christian stunned No. 3 Ramona, 31-28 in overtime, to advance to the CIF Division 3 semifinals.
It was a dramatic win, a resilient win, and a win that perfectly fits the identity Christian has forged this year: battle-tested, unflinching, and dangerous against anyone.
Runkle delivered one of the finest outings of his career, completing 16 of 21 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns, marking his third 300-yard performance of the season and his second-highest completion rate of the year.
Christian struck first late in the opening quarter when Runkle found Soren Lucey for a 25-yard touchdown. Ramona answered early in the second, but a missed PAT kept Christian ahead, 7-6.
After a stalled series and turnover on downs, the Patriots regained control late in the half. Following a Ramona field-goal miscue, Runkle immediately hit Ronnie Scott in stride for a 75-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 14-6.
Christian wasn’t done.
With under a minute left in the half, Runkle connected with Kai Rosier on a 40-yard gain to set up another scoring strike. Lucey hauled in his second touchdown on a 35-yard pass, extending the Patriots’ lead to 21-6 early in the third quarter.
Ramona responded with a 70-yard touchdown bomb and later tied the game, 21-21, early in the fourth after capitalizing on Christian penalties and a strong ground push near the goal line.
But the Patriots answered quickly—once again through the air.
Runkle hit Scott for a 40-yard touchdown midway through the fourth, reclaiming the lead at 28-21. Scott finished with 107 yards and two touchdowns on just two catches, averaging an eye-popping 53.5 yards per reception.
Ramona, with its season on the line, mounted one last drive. A fourth-down conversion, a late pass interference call, and a completion to the 4-yard line set up the Bulldogs’ tying score with 32 seconds left, forcing overtime.
Ramona opened overtime with possession and seemed poised to score, but Christian’s defense—a unit that produced three sacks on the night—delivered the game’s biggest moment. The Patriots forced a fumble at the 2-yard line, swinging the momentum instantly.
With the ball at the 25, Christian leaned on its protection and steady play-calling to set up its senior kicker.
From 38 yards out, Steven Benson stepped forward and drilled the walk-off field goal—his second clutch game-winner of the season—to secure the 31-28 victory and ignite a celebration on the visiting sideline
Christian’s defense, a group that had been gaining steam over the past month, played a major role:
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Three sacks—one each by Hank Houston, Julian Morones, and Hayden Jeremiah
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A forced fumble in overtime
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Multiple key stops in the red zone
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Strong tackling efforts from Houston (9 tackles), Chase Togerson (8), Ronnie Scott (7), and others
Freshman Julian Morones delivered one of the most complete games of his young career, adding 68 rushing yards, 37 receiving yards, and a sack.
After enduring one of the county’s toughest regular-season schedules, Christian has now won three straight, averaging 27 points per game during the streak. They’ve beaten Brawley and Ramona in back-to-back elimination games and have solidified themselves as a dangerous road playoff team.
The victory also served as a measure of redemption—Christian had not defeated Ramona since 2021 and fell 28-0 the last time the teams met in August of 2022.
Now, the Patriots (5-7) head back on the road for the semifinals, where they will face second-seeded Army-Navy Academy, one of the stingiest defenses in San Diego County. The Warriors allow just 13.4 points per game, presenting yet another tough challenge for Runkle and the Patriots’ surging offense.
But if Christian has proven anything this postseason—and this season—it’s that no road is too tough, no environment too hostile, and no moment too big.
