Juanita started off the football season in a big way last Friday night, beating the Redmond Mustangs 41-7 in a non-conference showdown.

The Rebels (1-0) began the season quickly with a 5-yard run from Siti Tamaivena, followed by a solid kick from Colton Blaisdell for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter of the game. The Mustangs, under new head coach Jeff Chandler, earned the team’s only points of the game off a 2-yard run from Mike Confronto in the second quarter. The Rebels made up for their opponents touchdown after Jerimiah Laufasa scored off a 53-yard run for a 13-6 lead going into the halftime break.

Strong defensive efforts after the break allowed Juanita to keep Redmond from scoring again, while the Rebels when on a scoring blitz. Laufasa would score three more times in the third quarter, the first a 55-yard run, before a 1-yard run to the end zone, followed by a 6-yard sprint for a 21-0 third quarter.

Up 34-6 the Rebels didn’t get complacent in the final minutes of the game, allowing senior running back Andre Casino to complete a 9-yard run for the final points of the game. Blaisdell finished with five completed field goals.

Juanita will start their home campaign tonight, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m., against the Inglemoor Vikings. The 4A KingCo school beat Snohomish 48-0 last week. The Vikings, who finished 2009 5-4 overall, returned a large number of starters from last season.