La Verne, CA — Sports can often serve as a reminder that no matter the situation in life, anything is possible. In the CIF Southern Section Division 10 quarterfinals game between Bonita (9-3) and Hillcrest High, the Trojans (8-4) put that on full display, overcoming a three touchdown deficit late in the game, making what appeared to be a contest that was out of reach into one that was ultimately decided on the final play. Despite the 20-unanswered fourth quarter Hillcrest points, Bonita hung on to defeat the Trojans 45-40, punching its ticket into the Division 10 semifinals where it will face the winner of Highland and Simi Valley, whose game was postponed due to the Woosley Fires. Hillcrest coach John Brandom made it clear that he didn’t need to say anything to his team or give a motivational speech when the Trojans fell behind early. “We got kids that fight hard,” he said. “We got great character kids and they impressed me all year long on how much better we got on a daily basis.” With 1:46 remaining in the period, junior wide receiver Ethan Drham scored a 19-yard touchdown on a screen pass from senior quarterback JP Andrade, which gave the Bearcats a 45-20 lead. While it looked like the final nail in the coffin for Hillcrest, who trailed by 24 points early in the second quarter but climbed back and made it a 31-13 contest at halftime, that was not the case. On the ensuing possession, the Trojans got one back on sophomore running back Dominique Clay’s 25-yard touchdown run. Hillcrest trailed 45-26 after it failed on a two-point conversion attempt. Bonita responded with an efficient drive on the ensuing possession until Andrade was intercepted at the Trojans’ six-yard line. Bogan took full responsibility for choosing to pass the ball in that situation, which gave Hillcrest even more hope. “Yeah and the play I called on fourth and one was not my best call,” Bogan said. “You know what we’re not going to do it perfectly but as long as you don’t quit and keep pressing and keep pushing I’m happy with guys and happy with the staff.” Clay jumpstarted the comeback with a 54-yard run, then sophomore quarterback Camren Payne finished things off for the Trojans, hitting junior wide receiver Isaac Perez for a 31-yard touchdown, which made the score 45-33 with 8:41 remaining. It was a solid drive for Payne, who started the game with a interception returned for a touchdown by Bonita linebacker Brandon Stone, which gave the Bearcats an early 14-0 lead with 8:13 to go in the first. “He had early game jitters and this and that but we were able to give him some pretty good field position (late) and yeah he wasn’t executing early but he just kept fighting,” Brandom said. Things then got even shakier for Bonita, when Andrade lost the ball on a exchange with running back Andrew Garcia. Hillcrest got the ball back at the Bearcats’ 41 would need just four plays to go 59-yards and make it a one score game. Senior Josh Ford got the Trojans within five when he hit Payne on a jet-sweep pass on a second-down and 10 play for a 10-yard TD with 5:28 remaining in the game. At that point, the tension was rising for Bonita’s sideline. Fortunately for the Bearcats, they would go on to chew up five minutes off the clock with a 10 play, 26 yard drive that used up all of the Trojans’ timeouts. Hillcrest was not able to get the ball past midfield and attempt a last second Hail Mary attempt. While it was a nervous and uncertain scenario for the Bonita team, Bogan thinks the Bearcats’ ability to hang on even though they let a three-touchdown lead slip away can serve as a lesson for his team moving forward. “This is one of the great things about America and stuff man. Competition,” Bogan said. “Ninety-Five percent of Fortune Five Hundred CEOs played sports. You learn passion and perseverance in sports, it’s not just the game and these guys are learning those lessons.” Andrade finished the game with 248 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air, both of which went to Durham and senior running back Miles Mouradian finished the game with 126 yards and pair of scores on 17 carries for Bonita. He also added a third on a blocked punt, which he ran in for a scoop and score touchdown that gave the Bearcats a 38-20 lead with 7:32 to go in the third. For Hillcrest, Clay recorded 155 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and Payne threw for 128 yards and a trio of touchdowns which all were hauled in by Perez.