(Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: The 2022 Roosevelt Rough Riders varsity football team of Head Coach Aldo Parral, now in his 5th season, took their Freeway bus ride South to encounter their first opponent of the season, the Carson Colts. But due to the closure of their home field, the game was re-scheduled to be played in Harbor City, CA at Harbor Community College.

This was a non-conference contest between the CIF/L.A. City Section’s Eastern League vs. the Marine League. The Riders have earned an initial CA. State ranking at #478.

Special Thanks to Head Coach Coach Aldo Parral and Victor Lozano, Student-Athlete & Game Videographer.

[Pre-Game Summary]: As the deadly effects of COVID-19 seem to have fallen by the wayside to a large degree, a near-normal return to high school football has started with this L.A. City Section’s Week 0 and its huge slate of games.

The Rough Riders returned several of their outstanding stalwarts from their “Open Division” playoff seeding last year. The Crimson & Gold will have for their services, the likes of their 2021 All-City/All-Eastern League selection, #5/Jared Andrade, along with other Senior class members, #9 Alexander Arroyo, #8 Johan Alfaro, #4 Isiah Wright, #6 Christian Beltran, “O” Linemen, #66 Guillermo Vasquez, and #15 Jonathan Cervantes. On the other side, look for “D” Lineman, #51 Jairo Medina. Add several other key performers from last season’s very accomplished and playoff tested team and there you will have the roster for the year.

[Game Summary]

[1st Half]: The first score of the game was made by Jared Andrade (#5)  in the first quarter on a student body-left 64 yard touchdown run. He broke 3 tackles as he pulled away from defenders to score. The 2 point conversion was no good. Roosevelt 6 – Carson 0

The second score was made midway in the second quarter, again by Andrade on a 13 yard reverse run. The 2 point conversion was successful when Isiah Wright (#4) blew through the line to convert. Roosevelt 14 – Carson 0

The third touchdown score was made by Johan Alfaro (#8) on a 52 yard outside-toss run down the sideline as he ran past seven Carson defenders on his way to the Riders third touchdown of the contest. The 2 point conversion failed, and Roosevelt now led by a score of (20-0).

With just 3 minutes left in the half, on Roosevelt’s kickoff, Carson took a bad kick-off 61 yards for a touchdown to end the first half with Roosevelt on top (20-7).

[Half Time Score]: Roosevelt  20  Carson 7

[2nd Half]: The second half started with a 13 play opening drive by the Riders as they marched 87 yards down the field. The drive was capped off by an 11 yard scoring run by Johan Alfaro (#8) and a successful 2 point conversion by Andrade. The scoreboard now read, Roosevelt 28 – Carson 7.

The Rough Riders immediately got the ball back on a beautiful diving interception by Isiah Wright (#4). After an 11 play drive, Wright (#4) did it again on a toss run left and scored a touchdown as he also left many a Colt looking on. Roosevelt went up (34-7). With the successful 2 point conversion, the score moved up to (36-14).

With the game easily in hand, the Riders offensive and defense alignments were then filled in by Head Coach Aldo Parral and his Coaching Staff with many of his young underclassmen players who were highly enthusiastic about earning that valuable playing time early on in their Rough Rider careers. The Colts were able to add another touchdown in the final period to increase their game point total to 14. Carson’s TDs were scored by #2/Latrell Cannon, (JR) and Louis Chukwu, (SR).

[Final Score]: Roosevelt  36   Carson  14

[Next Up]: Lincoln Tigers at Lincoln, Friday, August 26th at 7:30 PM. This will be a Non-Conference game versus a Northern League opponent. The Tigers lost their opener on the road last Friday to South Pasadena by a score of (28-7)

-Notable Player Stats-

{Offense}: (Rushing) – Andrade/195 yds/2 TDs/230 total yds; Alfaro/111 yds/2 TDs/146 total yds; Wright/97.0 yds/1 TD; (Receiving): Andrade/3 catches/35 yds; Arroyo/1 catch/20 yds/; Conversions/Wright (2), Andrade (1); Team Total Yds: 486.0

{Defense}: (Tackles) Wright & Arroyo/(5); Andrade, Alfaro. J. Cervantes, & P. Quijas (4); (Sacks): Arroyo, Wright, Alfaro, Juan Landa-all with (1); [INT]: Wright (1). Team Tackles: 42.0

-[COACH PARRAL’S CORNER]-

(On Opening day’s game plan against Carson)…As a staff we are really proud of the players and their execution of our game plan on both sides of the ball. Thanks to our offensive staff, Ernesto Ceja (Assistant Head Coach), Roberto Ortiz (Offensive Line Coach), Aldo J. Parral (Fullbacks Coach), the team did an excellent job running our double wing system.

(On preparation for an opponent like Carson)... Defensively, our coordinator, Cesar Guerrero, worked with Francisco Ibarra (Defensive Run Coordinator), Pedro Ibarra (Defensive Tackles Coach), Phil Moreno (longtime Defensive backs Coach), they did a great job of preparing the boys over the summer and installing Guerrero’s defensive scheme.

(On the Rough Riders team leadership)…The squad is led by a great group of our Senior Captains in Jared Andrade (#5), Alexander Arroyo (#9), Alejandro Aguilar-Ibarra (#50), Johan Alfaro (#8), and Isiah Wright (#4).