Chino Goes With Flowe

A masterful performance by the offensive line and 228 yards rushing by Jacob Flowe will have Chino in the Southern Section finals for the fourth time in five years.

Flowe scored two touchdowns and the second-seeded Cowboys defeated San Clemente, 32-7, in the Division II semifinals before a partisan crowd of 5,000 at Chino District Stadium on Friday.

Flowe scored on runs of 49, one, 18 and two yards--the last capping an 80-yard scoring drive with 5 minutes 54 seconds left in the game. His 18-yard run ended a 91-yard drive on Chino’s first possession of the second half.

Flowe wasn’t alone. Richie Powers rushed 11 times for 92 yards, and Kes Expre-Olomu gained 47 yards in 11 carries. They contributed to an attack that gained 408 yards rushing behind linemen O’Neil Roussell, Adam Lopez, Jassem Redha, Ryan Parks and Louis Pedro.

“That’s what we didn’t want, to get into a toe-to-toe battle,” said Eric Patton, San Clemente’s coach. “They didn’t make one mistake.”

There wasn’t a single holding penalty against Chino, and except for one eight-yard sack, there was only one rush for negative yards--a one-yard loss--before the reserves came on for the final series.

Chino (12-0) is no stranger to the semifinals, playing in its sixth in seven years. Meanwhile, San Clemente (8-5)--the division’s only at-large team--was making its first semifinal appearance since 1979, the year it lost to Esperanza in the championship game.

Chino will try to win its first title since 1997 next Saturday at 2 p.m. at Edison Field against top-seeded Mission Viejo. Chino defeated Mission Viejo in last season’s second round, 17-7, en route to a championship-game loss to Upland.

Chino’s defense was also outstanding, surrendering only one scoring drive, 80 yards, and that was fueled by a trick play in which quarterback Beau Budde caught a 23-yard pass to the two-yard line. Budde then scored from one yard for a 7-6 lead with 8:26 left in the first half.

The lead didn’t last long because San Clemente’s defense could not stop Chino in the first half. On four possessions, Chino scored three times and missed a field goal attempt.

“We played a great game,” said Chino Coach John Monger. “The offensive line came to play, and we controlled the football. The defense allowed one drive.

“It was a great team victory.”

Chino scored first with 1:06 left in the first quarter as Kevin Glaab passed 20 yards to wide-open Josh Smallwood on a bootleg.