Area football teams struggle in week five
NORWALK – In the fifth and second to last week of the shortened spring football season, area teams struggled to get victories, with La Mirada the only team to win.
La Mirada defeated Norwalk, 21-19, Whittier defeated Santa Fe, 37-20, St. Paul was shutout by Loyola, 31-0 and John Glenn did not play.
La Mirada holds off Norwalk
The Norwalk Lancers were less than a yard from tying the game in the last minute of the game against La Mirada with a 2-point conversion attempt.
With a last –minute touchdown, the Lancers were turned away by the La Mirada defense as a two-point attempt by senior running back Davin Portillo fell inches short.
Norwalk, with a punishing ground game, ran for 345 yards, highlighted by the duo of Portillo (28 carries for 116 yards, 2 TDs) and senior Milton Roman (19 carries for 139 yards).
Senior running back Joseph Chafino and sophomore quarterback Caden Barnhill added 52 and 25 yards rushing, respectively, for the Lancers.
“We limited their offensive opportunities by holding on to the ball all night,” Norwalk offensive coordinator Ruben Guerrero said. “Our kids put their best foot forward and were running all night. It was a very productive night.”
The Matadores (1-3, 1-1) came out on top with limited plays to come away with their first win of the season.
“The scoreboard says we won,” La Mirada coach Mike Moschetti said. “Norwalk was ready to play and it went down to the final seconds and somehow we found a way to win.
“Their head coach (Dean Gray) is doing a great job.”
Moschetti, who is in his second stint with the Matadores, pointed out that Norwalk controlled the game from beginning to end.
“The whole second half Norwalk controlled the game,” said Moschetti, referring to the six offensive plays by La Mirada in the second half. “They controlled the line of scrimmage and kept the ball out of our hands.”
The Matadores only had four offensive drives in the game.
“The linemen really controlled the game,” Guerrero said.
Norwalk has run for nearly 700 yards this season, behind a strong line.
Each team scored in the first quarter, as La Mirada’s junior wide receiver Aidan Nasser scored on a reverse handoff and ran 25 yards for the score, while Portillo scored the first of his two TD’s for the 7-7 tie.
Near the end of the first half, the Lancers had a chance to take a, 10-7, lead, but missed on a 30-yard field goal attempt.
“We could have gone ahead at that time, but the momentum kind of stalled for us,” Guerrero said.
To start the second half, Norwalk went on a long, 10-play drive and was attempting a 15-yard field goal on fourth and goal.
La Mirada senior corner back Isaiah Martinez blocked the field goal attempt and senior defensive end Shaun Grayson scooped it up and ran 85 yards for the go-ahead score as the Matadores led, 14-7, with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Norwalk went on another long drive (14 plays), chipping away at yardage, culminating with a tough 3-yard run off right tackle by Portillo, for his second TD of the game. However, the crucial extra point was blocked and the Lancers trailed, 14-13, early in the fourth quarter.
The Matadores answered with a 9-play touchdown drive midway in the quarter that was the difference in the game.
On the drive, Martinez had three big runs and senior running back Anthony Gonzalez ran in a 2-yard score for the 21-13 lead.
That set up the dramatic ending to the game.
The Lancers again marched down the field late in the game with their longest drive of the game (16-plays) to the 12-yard line.
Barnhill, on only his second pass of the night, connected with sophomore running back David Herrera on a 12-yard TD pass with less than a minute to play, to trail, 21-19.
Portillo came, oh so close, to tying up the game on the 2-point conversion run, but was stopped just short of the goal line.
“When we had to make a play, we made the stop,” said Moschetti, of the stop by his defense. “Our goal is to get back in the weight room and work hard in May and June when the district gives us permission.”
Guerrero reflected on what this past year was like for the players and all football teams.
“It’s huge for (the players),” he said. “I was just happy they could get football under their legs. The seniors were setting the table for the underclassmen.
“I was talking to coach Gray and things are looking up,” Guerrero said. “We’re very happy with what we have put out and are excited about what’s to come.”
Norwalk travels to Mayfair (2-3, 2-1) for the final game of the season (tonight, April 16) for a Suburban League game, while La Mirada hosts Bellflower (1-3, 0-2) at Excelsior High.
St. Paul gets shutout, 31-0
It was a tale of two halves for the Swordsmen as they played some great defense in the first half, before Loyola turned on the offense after halftime.
“I think the whole first half was a fantastic effort by us,” St. Paul Football coach Rick Zepeda. “We were missing a lot of seniors (Friday, April 9). A lot of underclassmen played and played their heart out. I’m really proud of them.
“Every week we’ve seen better improvements at particular players that we’ve asked to get better. That’s been the bright spot.”
With three tough losses to teams with a combined 9-2 record, Zepeda was asked about some of the players that have improved on the season.
“(Junior quarterback) Isaiah Dunn sat in the pocket and the receivers caught the ball and we haven’t been able to do that in a couple of weeks,” Zepeda said.
“There was a lot to take out if this. (Loyola) is a good club. They have a lot of things that everybody wants – size, speed and experience. I’m proud of our effort (Friday).”
St. Paul, with the loss to Loyola, falls to 0-3 on the season and will end with St. Francis tomorrow (Saturday April 17).
What they said:
Juan Vigil, St. Paul defensive coordinator: “They (Loyola) are a good team and our boys played tough. We thought we put our kids in good positions in the first half.
“Daniel Pallan is our starting safety and Rolando Espinoza is our starting inside backer and they got knocked up last week against Crespi. We started some young guys in those spots.”
Isaiah Dunn, St. Paul junior quarterback: “All I can say is I appreciate my brothers giving it their all. We came in as underdogs. We played a great first half. We just have to pick it up.
“I look forward to the offseason and get better every day. I love this school and can’t ask for anything else.
“(The game) was a good learning experience for me, even though it was a tough loss. I’ll use that for motivation and learn and get better every day.”
Isaiah Castillo, St. Paul senior outside linebacker: “We had them in the first half and I thought we were going to pull it off.
“We played hard. It was (our) senior night and we just fell short. We’re in a new league and we’re going to have to prepare differently. We just have to be ready mentally and physically next year.”
Manuel Espitia, junior running back/middle linebacker: “In the first half we went toe-to-toe and neck-and-neck and didn’t back down and that’s what made us strong.
“We’ll just get ready for St. Francis next week and we’re going to handle business then.”
Santa Fe falls to Whittier, 37-20
Santa Fe was led by senior quarterback Thomas Reyes (11 for 29, 2 Int.) with 148 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior receiver Jayson Villa led the Chiefs with two catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, while freshman wide receiver Matt Picado had four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, senior middle linebacker Alano Cardenas had an interception.
Santa Fe (0-3, 0-2), will try to get in the win column this week against El Rancho (1-3, 1-2) in a Del Rio League game.
Other scores
Baseball: Santa Fe is 4-8 overall and 1-1 in the Del Rio League. They defeated La Serna, 9-5 and lost on Wednesday to Cal, 6-3.
Softball: John Glenn won its first game against Cantwell, 7-2. St. Paul, which is 9-3, played six consecutive days last week and was 3-3. They defeated Fullerton, 10-4 Wednesday, April 14 in a non-league game.