The long wait is officially over. It is game week for the Rio Hondo Prep Kares as they host the Schurr Spartans in what many could argue is the most anticipated Opener since Rio took on Arcadia back in 2012. Our very special guest, Tarek Fattal, will help us kickoff the 2025 Season with a bang. You can find Tarek on CBS alongside Jim Hill on Sundays as Fattal shares his thoughts on high school sports across the Southland. Additionally, Tarek Fattal writes for Sports Illustrated and has been covering high school athletics for a decade. He and I have a long discussion about the noise Rio Hondo Prep has made the past few seasons as well as where they stand among other successful programs. Tarek Fattal has also started a YouTube show every Monday night dedicated to the best high school football coverage in Southern California. You will be ready to run through a brick wall after this episode, but we will settle for you coming out to Kare Park in Irwindale as the Spartans and Kares go at it with the utmost respect for one another and a pride in their schools that could hold its own amongst the best in the area.

We are just one week away from kicking off the 2025 Football Season. As we close out our Senior Sons episodes, the parents of Yanick Diaz and Tyler Dang take us across the finish line. Both of their sons are Team Captains this year and have made massive contributions to both Championship runs in 2023 and 2024. Diaz and Dang have hit on plenty of big plays in the passing game over the years as a Quarterback and Wide Receiver duo. Their connection through the air and their leadership on the field should put Rio Hondo Prep in a great position to do something historic once again in their Last Dance.

As the boys are back on the practice field, we hear from another couple of moms and dads from our Senior Families. Today we have the parents of Easton Jara and Jacob Gomez to discuss what the past 3 years at Rio Hondo Prep have meant to their families. Both young men arrived at RHP under very different circumstances, and it goes to show you just how special the Rio recipe can be with a wide range of ingredients. Gomez has been plagued by season ending injuries the past two years, and he couldn't be more hungry to finish things off in the strongest way possible. While Jara is a dedicated Soccer player who will end up competing at the next level in College, he is embracing the opportunity to contribute to Rio Hondo Football and might end up making a bigger impact than he or his family could have ever imagined.

In another edition of our Senior Sons episodes, we are joined by the parents of Elijah Gavia and Jace Frary. Both families share the importance of how Rio Hondo Prep has helped in the development of their young men and how the program sets itself apart from anything else out there because of everything it offers. Elijah Gavia has been the big man in the trenches for his whole career at RHP and has been a force to be reckoned with for the Kares. Jace Frary might just be one of Rio's tallest players on the field which will certainly come into play on both sides of the football in this season.

In the latest edition of the Senior Sons episodes during our Summer podcasts, we are joined by the parents of Calogero Chico and Diego Raygoza. Both of these young men have been with the program for the last 3 years and are poised to get their name on a 3rd Banner in the Stivers Center down on campus. Chico has been one of Rio's best pound for pound players all around and is a gritty tackler. Raygoza has worked hard in the trenches on both sides of the ball and has some real opportunities to step up big this coming season. You will once again see that when it comes to football players at Rio Hondo Prep, their families are the ones who embrace the endless possibilities and also love seeing their sons pushed to be the absolute best they can be.

As we continue our Senior Sons episodes, we are joined by the parents of Rainn Pollock and Nathaniel Shine. Both of these Seniors have played Varsity since they were Freshmen, and their families have plenty of fond memories to reflect on over the past three seasons. Rainn and Nathaniel have made several huge plays on Defense over the years but don't be surprised if they put up some numbers on Offense in the final chapter of their playing career at Rio Hondo Prep. Rainn Pollock and Nathaniel Shine each have big smiles than can light up a room, but their intensity on a football field is no laughing matter. When it comes down to it, both young men know how to step up in a big way when the lights shine brightest.

As we begin a string of episodes with the families of our new batch of Seniors, the proud parents of David Reyes and Noah Penunuri get things started. Both families reside in the city of Glendora and I am proud to call them neighbors. We reflect on the past two incredible football seasons and how excited they are as their sons begin one final chapter of their playing careers at Rio Hondo Prep. When you look at the respect and humility that our players carry at all times, look no further than the parents that raised them.

The boys are back in town from their 4 week Tour of Europe. The Rio Football Team traveled all over the Continent as their journey took them to England, Germany, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Italy. Head Coach Mark Carson recaps "The Trip," as it is known among the RHP Family, and takes us behind the scenes of a month that is not comparable to another experience any teenager around the country will take part in with his teammates. The spiritual growth, historical knowledge, mature responsibility, and brotherhood bond learned on these Trips are just some of the reasons that set Rio Hondo Prep apart from all the rest. Welcome Home Boys.