answer, but Grable had the ball stripped away and CSDR recovered the loose ball with 6:48 showing on the clock.

The ensuing drive did not start well for the Cubs, as Gio Visco was tackled for a 4-yard loss on first down and then he dropped a pass on second down.

Adams found Zarembka for a 16-yard gain that moved the chains. Adams then punished Flintridge Prep’s defense by running the ball six consecutive times for a total of 29 yards. CSDR faced third-and-10, and Visco redeemed himself by catching a 15-yard pass from Adams to help the Cubs take the lead with 1:25 left to play.

Adams capped his prep career in style, completing 17 of 24 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns while adding 137 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

“We finished in good form,” said Adams, the youngest son of CSDR’s head coach. “We just never gave up tonight. We kept playing hard and found a way to win.”

CSDR had to endure some nervous moments down the stretch. Grable, who scored five touchdowns, scrambled for a 17-yard gain on fourth-and-8 to move the ball past midfield. Flintridge Prep lined up for a 30-yard field goal in the waning seconds, but that kick by Joseph Kearns sailed well left of the uprights.

“You kind of had the feeling like the team with the ball at the end might win tonight,” Flintridge Prep coach Russell White said. “We had a chance with that field goal try, but things just didn’t go our way. We executed everything the way we wanted to during that final drive except for the last couple of plays.”

Kaden Adams took the final snap and dropped to a knee, and the hundreds of CSDR fans who made the trip joined the team on the field to celebrate the victory.

CSDR is just the fourth football team from Riverside County or San Bernardino County to win three straight section championships. The Cubs joined the likes of Bloomington (1996-1999), Joshua Springs (2009-2012) and Centennial (2012-15). CSDR had never won a section title in any sport prior to this three-peat.

“I feel like I’m in a dream,” said Zarembka, who caught eight passes for 149 yards Friday night. “We believed in ourselves and showed a lot of determination tonight.”

CSDR has reached the finals in four straight seasons. The 74-22 loss to Faith Baptist in the first championship game helped shape the program, Keith Adams said.

“That really impacted our players,” said Adams, whose second stint as CSDR’s coach ended Friday night. “We were humiliated that night, but we turned that into a learning experience. If we would have won that first game, I’m not sure if we win two or three more. Our program got tougher and better because of that loss.”

The teams traded the lead five times during the second quarter. Flintridge Prep took a 27-24 lead into the locker room, with the difference between the teams being execution on conversions. CSDR was 0-4 on its 2-point-conversion tries in the first half. Flintridge Prep had one successful 2-point conversion and one extra point.

Grable led the way for the Wolves, catching six passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns while adding 44 yards and two more touchdowns on his nine carries.

“He has always been a man amongst boys,” White said of the 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior receiver and linebacker. “I’m honored to be a small part of his large world.”

Jones completed 12 of 18 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns for Flintridge Prep. Ray Cabrera returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the opening half.

Visco caught seven passes for 69 yards and added 31 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Isaiah Baxter-Davis caught two of Adams’ touchdown passes.