DOWNEY – Despite being down by three scores against Inglewood in the fourth quarter, Downey’s football team stormed back in the final minutes of the game to win 21-20 on Friday night.
Trailing 20-14 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Vikings quarterback Oscar Rios marched his team down field with one big play after another. However, the chains were also moving backwards with consecutive offensive penalties against Rios.
With just over 20 seconds left, Rios was under pressure from the Sentinels defense, scrambled out of the pocket and heaved the ball toward the end zone. It was younger brother, sophomore receiver Jesus Rios, who made a tremendous catch among multiple defenders to catch the 39-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left to tie the game at 20.
Downey (4-1) was penalized again, this time for a sideline violation, which was assessed on the point-after attempt. Kicker Danny Yocupicio would have to boot the extra point from 43 yards away to give the Vikings the lead.
The junior kicker had just enough leg to get it up and over the goal post and give Downey a 21-20 lead with 12 seconds left.
Downey head coach Jack Williams was proud of his kicker for nailing the clutch PAT, and he noted that it wasn’t the first time the kicker has come through with a big kick this season.
Downey coach Jack Williams talks about the stunning comeback win over Inglewood, @_OscarriosQB finding his little brother Jesus Rios for game-tying TD, and kicker Danny Yocupicio hitting 43-yard PAT for the win @dvikesfootball @SoCalVarsity @BeachVarsity pic.twitter.com/B3eT9knVrk
— Chris Camello (@Chris_Camello) September 20, 2025
“How about the kick from Danny again?” Williams asked. “That’s two now this year, where he kicked a field goal to win it with no time left, getting double timed-out, and we have a personal foul where you back it up, and he has to kick an extra point to win it.”
Williams also spoke about the Rios connection between Oscar and Jesus for the touchdown that tied the game.
“I think that’s something he planned on purpose, he needed more yards, so he took his mouthpiece out a couple of times,” Williams joked of his quarterback getting penalized for not putting his mouthpiece in before the touchdown pass. “But he has that connection with his brother (Jesus). His brother was out the last two games, but when in doubt he throws it to his brother. His brother came up and got between two guys and made a play and scored.”
The Sentinels (1-3) had time for one last possession but would need a miracle especially since a penalty pushed them back to their own 20. Quarterback Lincoln Jahn threw a ‘Hail Mary’ pass downfield but it was broken up by the Vikings defense to end the game.
Rios was having one of his worst games of the season after being sacked four times, throwing two interceptions, and throwing for just 41 yards through three quarters.
Yet somehow, he and Downey found a way to make an improbable comeback win as he threw three consecutive touchdown passes in the final eight minutes of the game.
He threw to receiver Jacob Trevizu for the first score on a 15-yard pass with 8:05 left in the game.
After the defense came up with a stop, Rios then found his number one target, Damani Porras, for a 59-yard catch-and-run touchdown to cut the deficit to 20-14.
Rios finished with 180 passing yards and completed 13 of 27 attempts with three TDs and two interceptions.
Downey QB @_OscarriosQB overcame a tough Inglewood defense to lead Vikings to a comeback win with 3 TD passes in the 4th including what turned out to be the game-winner to his younger brother Jesus Rios aka his “security blanket”@SoCalVarsity @BeachVarsity @dvikesfootball pic.twitter.com/FScupZ1G9x
— Chris Camello (@Chris_Camello) September 20, 2025
“I knew I had to make something happen,” said Rios. “My safety blanket, my little brother, just throw it up and he’s going to go get it. So he made the rest happen, he caught the ball, he won us the game.”
Rios also gave major credit to Yocupicio for nailing the 43-yard PAT to give Downey the lead.
“My dawg, Danny … Nacho!” Rios exclaimed as the question was being asked. “The boy is special. We had some penalties that cost us that yardage … We can’t doubt him. I took a knee, said a little prayer, and I knew he was going to make it.”
Oscar’s brother Jesus wasn’t much of a factor offensively for most of the night until some of those final drives, but the sophomore made the biggest catch of the night to help the Vikings secure the comeback win.
Downey WR Jesus Rios had a game-tying (and eventually winning) 39-yard TD from his brother @_OscarriosQB in the final seconds of this game and talks about the final possession and the comeback win from the Vikings @SoCalVarsity @BeachVarsity @dvikesfootball pic.twitter.com/kBx6q2flIJ
— Chris Camello (@Chris_Camello) September 20, 2025
“It was a play called ‘Shout Throttle’ and the throttle basically has to come back and go,” said Jesus Rios, who finished with three receptions for 65 yards. “I tried to make the (cornerback) jump, run it out and up, and (Oscar) threw it late so I jumped under the safety and caught the ball and scored.”
For Inglewood (1-3), it was a heart-breaking loss after playing so well for most of the game.
The Sentinels led 14-0 heading into the fourth quarter and appeared they would win in a runaway after Jahn threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to receiver Allen Wilson.
After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Sentinels still had a 20-0 lead over Downey with 10:32 left in the fourth quarter and a defense that had been stellar all game long. However, conservative play-calling and numerous penalties on offense and a tired defense led to their late game breakdown.
Inglewood head coach Milvon James talks about the tough loss to Downey, what caused his team to break down in the fourth quarter, and despite a good defense for most of the game, if fatigue was a factor late in the game @SoCalVarsity @BeachVarsity @breezepreps @InglewoodFBall pic.twitter.com/FkGcZloIf6
— Chris Camello (@Chris_Camello) September 20, 2025
Inglewood coach Milvon James believed that a lack of attention to details was the reason for the loss.
“The details,” said James. “They had a drive where they ran the ball, a physical drive to get themselves mentally back in the game. Our four-man offense, we got to execute. We have to run time off the clock. It’s all things that are correctable, it’s all things we will correct. Just have to get back to the drawing board.”
Jahn, a sophomore, had a terrific game, finishing with 164 passing yards and completed 17 of his 22 passes. He two touchdown passes and added a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
Receiver Andre Williams had five catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.