The Garfield Bulldogs defeated the Montebello Oilers with a score of 49-35 in their varsity football season opener on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
- Ceasar Reyes (Garfield): Rushed for 277 yards and 5 touchdowns, averaging 9.9 yards per carry.
- Montebello Defense: Aaron Jasso and Giovanni Solorzano combined for three sacks, while Jordan Silva contributed 13 tackles (3.0 for loss).
Garfield had to kick off their season on the road on Thursday, but they showed no ill effects. They strolled past the Montebello Oilers with points to spare, taking the game 49-35. The final result isn’t all that surprising considering the Bulldogs’ considerable advantage in MaxPreps’ California football rankings (they are ranked 308th, while the Oilers are ranked 714th).
Ceasar Reyes was nothing short of spectacular: he rushed for 277 yards and 5 touchdowns while picking up 9.9 yards per carry. His rushing yards production has been exceptional for a while as that marked his 11th straight game with at least 100 yards dating back to last season.
Garfield was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 409 yards. That’s the most rushing yards they have managed all season.
Montebello’s defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Joe Curiel, who threw for 122 yards and 1 TD, and also punched in 1 score on the ground.
Garfield is now 1-0, having gone 1-2 since their 5-game winning streak (dating back to last season) ended. As for Montebello, they are on a four-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-1.
Garfield will get to enjoy the win for a while: their next game is against South El Monte at 7:00 p.m. on September 3. As for Montebello, they are headed away from home for the first time to square off against Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary at 7:00 p.m. on the 28th.
Featured image of Ceasar Reyes shot by Bob Bernal Jr.
