Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig celebrates the victory with his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
DOWNEY — Aquinas offered something close to perfection Saturday night, riding its stud freshman running back and dominating both lines of scrimmage while romping to a big, early lead and steadily building upon it en route to its third CIF Southern Section football championship in the past four fall seasons.
This one was the most impressive, a 66-14 destruction of second-seeded St. Pius X-St. Matthias as JoJo Solis ran for 259 yards, scored six touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the CIF-SS Division 7 title game.
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig celebrates the victory with a hug for captain Ronnie Roberts after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas players admire the champions plaque after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig gets a bucket of water dumped on by his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig is lifted on the shoulders of his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Junior Taase Faumui holds up the champions plaque after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis is stopped by St. Piux X-St. Matthias’ Dejour Menefee in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ Jordan Shaw leaps over Aquinas’ Juju Roberts for a touchdown reception in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis gives a shove to St. Piux X-St. Matthias’ Jordan Shaw during a run in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas players lift Jusyis Solis in the air after a first quarter 55-yard touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ Dejour Menefee is stopped by Aquinas’ Marco Perez in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig celebrates the victory with a hug for captain Tui Hala after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ Jordan Shaw tries to get away from Aquinas’ Ronnie Roberts in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas quarterback Andres Robles points to the sky after running 47 yards for a touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ Nate Frazier is dragged down by Aquinas’ Ronnie Roberts in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Kaden Willerford looks for running room around St. Piux X-St. Matthias’ Christian Harris in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Milton Ochieng (28) celebrates with the champion’s plaque after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Milton Ochieng runs in for a touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig celebrates the victory with his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig celebrates the victory with his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
A dejected St. Pius X-St. Matthias head coach Devah Thomas receives the runner-up plaque after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig receives the winners plaque after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis is chased by St. Piux X-St. Matthias defenders in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis follows his blockers for a big gain in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ Nate Frazier runs past Aquinas’ Maxwell Joseph for a gain in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas quarterback Andres Robles runs the ball 47 yards for a touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis runs in for a short touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas’ Jusyis Solis runs the ball 55 yards for a TD reception in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
St. Pius X-St. Matthias’ head coach Devah Thomas watches his team fall behind in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig gets a bucket of water dumped on by his players after the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in Downey on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Aquinas won 66-14. (Photo by Scott Varley, Contributing Photographer)
The fourth-seeded Falcons (9-5) scored on nine of their first 10 possessions and amassed 561 yards — 455 on the ground. They raced to a 38-7 halftime advantage, then added three more third-quarter touchdowns.
They also limited Pius-Matthias (11-3) to six first downs and minus-32 yards rushing while conceding three big plays that added up to 175 of the Warriors’ 187 total yards and both scores.
“We played our best game,” said Aquinas head coach Jordan Brusig, whose team advances to the Southern California Regional championships next week. “(Pius-Matthias is) a very good football team. They weren’t in the finals for no reason, and we needed to play our best game.”
Solis benefited from the play of his team’s linemen, as he mostly ran through interior holes and made double-digit gains on nine of 26 carries. He capped his night with a 7-yard touchdown run for a 52-14 lead just five minutes into the second half. That score followed a 63-yard romp.
He also caught two passes for 73 yards, the first a 55-yard touchdown to put the Falcons ahead two and a half minutes into the game.
It was 15-0 on a 1-yard Solis run three minutes later, and he added two more first-half scores and another two in the third quarter.
The Warriors, who lost to South Torrance in the Division 14 final two years ago, looked vintage in three precious moments. Frazier took a Dieter Barr pass 87 yards up the right sideline midway through the first quarter to cut the deficit to 15-7. Down 45-7 in the third quarter, Barr (7 of 17 for 219 yards) found Jordan Shaw twice on successive plays: a 58-yard gain down the right sideline and a 30-yard throw, against double-coverage, into the end zone.
That was it about it for Pius-Matthias highlights.
“They were a better team,” Warriors head coach Devah Thomas said. “They played their hearts out. They wanted it more.”
Brusig has guided his alma mater to four title games since taking charge in 2015. The Falcons won the Division 9 title in 2017 and the Division 5 crown in 2019.
Quarterback Dre Robles’ 53-yard sprint extended Aquinas’ lead to 29-7 early in the second quarter, and Milton Odongo and Jeremiah Miller added late scores.
“It feels great,” said Robles, who totaled 197 yards on nine passes or runs. “A lot of people didn’t think we would be able to make it this far, but Coach Brusig prepared us for something great. We all saw some something special here, we all believed in what could happen and what could be, and we worked hard for it. And I believe we earned it.”
