By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor Things looked good early on for Muir. The Mustangs had just allowed a 57-yard TD pass from Max Davila to Deonte Bevel. But they answered back with rushing TD’s from Jalique and Jonathan Stephens, and had a 13-6 lead over visiting Arcadia. The Apaches, though, scored the game’s next 29 […]
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
Things looked good early on for Muir.
The Mustangs had just allowed a 57-yard TD pass from Max Davila to Deonte Bevel.
But they answered back with rushing TD’s from Jalique and Jonathan Stephens, and had a 13-6 lead over visiting Arcadia.
The Apaches, though, scored the game’s next 29 points and Muir never really got close enough to challenge.
Arcadia went on to beat Muir, 35-19, in the Pacific League opener for both schools.
The only presence as strong as the referee’s, who pushed the game to almost three hours with more than 30 penalties, was the smell of weed on the Arcadia sidelines.
No, Jeff Spicoli wasn’t near the Arcadia bench, but several adults that watch the game from outside the fence had their share of the herb, and players and coaches made comments about how ridiculous the scenario was.
It felt to many on the Arcadia side like they were at a concert with the clouded air.
Davila gave Arcadia (2-2, 1-0) it’s first lead when he hit Rolandiss Whitener on a 33-yard scoring strike with 3:38 left in the second quarter.
Frankie Contreras’ 2-point conversion gave the Apaches a 14-13 lead, and they never trailed the rest of the night.
Davila snuck in from 2 yards out and then Whitener showed off his speed on a 64-yard TD run, and at one point, he cut to the left and broke through four Mustangs’ defenders.
Davila and Whitener would connect one last time, this, a 42-yard scoring strike to push the lead to 35-13.
Jalique Stephens scored on a 3-yard run to cap the Mustangs scoring for the night.
Both sides were incredulous at the number of penalties that were called, which also cost both teams the ability to sustain a rhythm.
On one of Muir’s early scores, the Apaches thought they had held Muir on three fourth-down plays on the same drive, but each of the three were extended by penalty.
Davila, the rock-steady veteran completed 9 of 11 passes for 200 yards, threw for three scores and rushed for another.
Bevel had three catches for 115 yards, and Whitener had 170 all-purpose yards for the Apaches.
After starting the season 2-0, and outscoring its opponents by a combined 86-0, Muir has now dropped two in a row to La Salle and now Arcadia.
The Mustangs will travel next Friday to Crescenta Valley, and Arcadia will host Burroughs in their homecoming game.
Quotable:
Arcadia coach Andrew Policki: “Once we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot, we were able to do our thing. Every time they scored it was off our penalties. Max and Rolandiss stepped up big and we needed that.”
Arcadia quarterback Max Davila: “We just kept our keys and blocks and our offensive line blocked for me. We have a lot of great athletes, so I like to get them the ball and let them do their thing. Whenever I throw to Whitener, I know he’s going to come down with it.”
Arcadia receiver-defensive back Rolandiss Whitener: “Coach had a talk with us to get us going. I love it (being counted on to make big-yardage plays). It’s not hard (when the other team is talking trash), we just let them talk and play our game.”
Box Score:
Arcadia: 6-8-21-0-(35)
Muir: 7-6-0-6-(19)
Scoring:
A: Deonte Bevel 57 pass from Max Davila (kick failed)
M: Jalique Stephens 1 run (Kevin Torres kick)
M: Jonathan Stephens 2 run (kick failed)
A: Rolandiss Whitener 33 pass from Max Davila (Frankie Contreras run)
A: Max Davila 2 run (Randy Ludwig kick)
A: Rolandiss Whitener 64 run (Randy Ludwig kick)
A: Rolandiss Whitener 42 pass from Max Davila (Randy Ludwig kick)
M: Jalique Stephens 3 run (kick failed)
Pacific League Standings:
Crescenta Valley (4-0 overall, 1-0 in league)
Burroughs (2-1, 1-0)
Arcadia (2-2, 1-0)
Burbank (2-2, 1-0)
Muir (2-2, 0-1)
Glendale (2-2, 0-1)
Hoover (1-3, 0-1)
Pasadena (0-4, 0-1)
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