CORONA — It was business as usual for Riverside Poly on Friday night.

Riverside Poly built a double-digit halftime lead then held on for a 34-24 road win against Santiago in a CIF-SS Division 9 first-round playoff game.

The Bears (8-3) picked up their first playoff win since 2023, when they advanced to the Division 11 title game before falling to Ramona. Riverside Poly travels to San Dimas for a quarterfinal game next Friday. San Dimas knocked out previously unbeaten Rowland, 24-22, in its opener.

“A couple of guys on the team were sophomores on that team,” Poly senior wide receiver Michael Gaines Jr. said. “We know how it feels to go all the way and not go all the way. So we’re just trying to pick up that energy from how our leader leads us.”

Things were competitive from the outset on

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