MID-CITIES LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Norwalk’s undefeated run continues against Gahr with some surprises

October 19, 2025

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

Norwalk High has gone through some extremities to begin its final season in the current Mid-Cities League, going from a 25-6 win over Lynwood High that was probably closer than the score indicated to an emphatic 70-0 victory over Compton Early College the next week.

Last Friday, the Lancers knew it wasn’t going to be as easy against Gahr High as the teams were undefeated in league action. But the Lancers, who trailed for the first time in nearly a month, rode the legs of seniors Diego Cerritos and Deron Walker like they’ve been doing all season. and for added measure, received a pair of rare first down touchdown passes from senor quarterback Axel Bustamante in a 27-13 win at Dr. Hanford Rants Stadium.

“The theme of this week was we’re chasing 8-0 and we’re chasing first place in our Mid-Cities League,” said Norwalk head coach Ruben Guerrero. “So right now, the reward for our victory today is we’re 8-0 and we’re in first place in the Mid-Cities in the driver’s seat. That’s what we were looking at all week. That’s the message; that was the theme and that’s what motivated these kids.”

Gahr took the opening kickoff and drove 55 yards in 10 plays to take an early lead as senior running back Jaidyn Backus snuck in from a yard out with 7:29 remaining in the first quarter. But Cerritos and Walker combined for seven carries and 26 yards on Norwalk’s first possession before Guerrero went into his bag of tricks two weeks ahead of Halloween. On first down, Bustamante tossed a 34-yard touchdown pass to Cerritos to tie the game with 1:45 left in the stanza.

After the Gladiators (4-4, 2-1) punted, the Lancers went back to work with 11 straight runs, ending in a two-yard score from Walker. Norwalk’s defense then forced a three and out and four straight running plays led to a 24-yard touchdown pass from Bustamante to junior tight end Miguel Urueta on first down with 59 seconds remaining in the half as the Lancers were up 21-7.

Entering the game, Bustamante was eight of 14 for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He would not complete either of his two other passes in the game.

“That’s a good football club over there and they’re tough,” said Guerrero of Gahr. “We’re tough too, but we were running into some walls there; some speed bumps and dug in the crate and pulled [the pass plays] out and it worked for us. We caught them by surprise. So, we were trying to find something that was going to work because we were running into some speed bumps.”

Each team had two possessions in the third quarter amounting to little as Norwalk junior Andres Ramirez was unsuccessful on a 36-yard field goal attempt and both teams traded punts before the Gladiators ran the final seven plays of the quarter.

Then nearly three minutes into the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Roman Acosta got his team closer with a two yard run to make it 21-13 after the extra point was missed. The Lancers (8-0, 2-0) would storm back and after Gahr was called for a facemask infraction on third and four, Cerritos iced the game with a 40-yard touchdown run with 6:29 left to play.

The Gladiators, in front of a subdued crown on homecoming night in which the king and queen were not announced during the halftime ceremony, converted twice on third down and once on fourth down to get to the Norwalk three-yard line with time running out. But Gahr turned the ball over on downs following a 14-play, 53-yard drive that featured a pair of holding penalties by the hosts, an 11-yard sack of Acosta by junior linebacker David Ibarra and an eight-yard sack by senior lineman Jesus Sanchez.

“What concerned me about Gahr was how athletic they are, and how they can strike quickly,” said Guerrero. “You saw how they got some plays on us; some chunk plays, and what really got us was I was preaching to the guys let’s hold on to the ball on offense.”

Acosta completed 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards and gained 36 yards on a dozen carries but was sacked four times while senior wide receiver Alexander Gutierrez caught five passes for 70 yards. Senior linebacker Harlym Rayford, sophomore cornerback De’Mir Cunningham and junior lineman Sebastian Jimenez all had three and a half tackles.

Cerritos and Walker each had 116 yards with Walker rushing 17 times and Cerritos gaining 15 touches while adding three tackles and the two sacks on defense. Senior linebacker Joshua Ayala led the Lancers with five tackles while Ibarra added four tackles and senior defensive back Nathan Henriquez and senior linebacker Keshawn Williams another three tackles each.

“Normally a runner, he was a huge blocker for us tonight on offense, and then he showed up on defense and did some things to put us in positions to come out on top and be where we’re at right now,” said Guerrero of Cerritos. “My hat’s off to that kid. He found different ways to help the team be successful.”

Gahr will host Compton Early College on Friday in its final regular season home game while Norwalk will entertain Firebaugh High with a chance to keep its undefeated season alive. It will also be Norwalk’s last regular season home game.