Bennett Throws for 4 Touchdowns as Simi Valley Rallies to Win, 26-10

Simi Valley High, led by senior quarterback Eric Bennett, rallied from an early 10-point deficit Friday night to defeat Rowland, 26-10, in a first-round Southern Section Division III playoff game at Rowland.

Bennett threw for all of the Pioneer scores and completed 18 of 34 passes for 282 yards.

Simi Valley (7-4) scored its first touchdown with just under a minute to play in the first half when Bennett hit Dan Varner with a 16-yard pass to cut Rowland’s lead to 10-6.

Simi Valley converted one of six Raider turnovers into a score midway through the third quarter when Bennett teamed with Aaron Whitley on a 16-yard pass that gave the Pioneers their first lead.

Rowland (7-3-1), the top-seeded Sierra League team, was unable to stop Bennett in the second half.

Bennett threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tom Herman late in the third quarter and a 28-yard scoring pass to Bryan Kalbfus halfway through the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, Simi Valley relied on the running of Jevon Markarian, who gained 65 yards in 19 carries, to control the clock.