By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor With ‘week zero’ and ‘week one’ already completed, Muir and Poly are 1-0, Pasadena and Maranatha are 1-1 and St. Francis is in an unusual position at 0-1. But ninety percent of the season is yet to be played. Poly (1-0) easily defeated Village Christian on Friday afternoon, 34-7, in […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
With ‘week zero’ and ‘week one’ already completed, Muir and Poly are 1-0, Pasadena and Maranatha are 1-1 and St. Francis is in an unusual position at 0-1.
But ninety percent of the season is yet to be played.
Poly (1-0) easily defeated Village Christian on Friday afternoon, 34-7, in a nonleague battle.
The names might change somewhat, but coach Chris Schmoke’s program keeps rolling.
One of the area’s great all-around athletes, Franco Alonso (football and baseball) had 11 carries for 35 yards and four catches for 113 yards and two TD’s (receiving).
Alonso also had six tackles on defense.
Jackson Treister also had a big game.
Treister carried the ball 8 times for 63 yards and two scores in just one and one-half quarters of play.
Treister also had two catches for 20 yards.
Thomas McConnell continues to be a beast on defense.
McConnell had 13 tackles, including three for loss, a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery.
“I was proud of the effort and attitude overall, but especially of our seniors,” Schmoke said. “They are a small and quiet group, but they lead by example and effort. It is a group that will continue to work hard week after week.”
Muir (1-0) had a week one bye after defeating Charter Oak on the road in week zero.
The Mustangs will gear up this week and fly to Northern California to take on Stellar Prep in Oakland.
Muir will ride the right arm of quarterback Brian Love, the legs of Jahlique Stephens and the hands and speed of star wide-out, Aryonis Harrison.
Pasadena (1-1) got a huge victory for their program.
The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to host Maranatha (1-1) on Friday, but they got bad news early in the week.
Those in charge forgot to order stands for the fans and the game got switched to Maranatha.
The Minutemen got out to a second-quarter lead and again led in the third quarter, but PHS showed heart and made defensive stands when they needed to.
Their quarterback, Andreas Solling threw for one score and ran for another.
He hit a freshman (Mekhi Fox) on a 65-yard TD in the third quarter that turned out to be the difference.
Akil Andrews 2-point run officially was the difference, as PHS left Maranatha excited with their 14-12 victory.
Solling patiently waited his time after transferring over from Blair when the Vikings’ program folded midway through his sophomore year.
Caleb Benson picked off Maranatha quarterback Enrique Garza with less than a minute to play to seal the deal.
Garza threw one TD (to Jack Goodman) in the second quarter and scored on a short (3 yard) run in the third period, but the junior struggled with his accuracy throughout.
Jacob Moreno, one of the area’s toughest kids, pound for pound, made his presence felt all over the field, including an early-game pick of Solling.
Bryce Vanneman also picked off a PHS pass.
Andrews led the PHS rushing attack with north of 40 yards and that 2-point conversion that gave them the 14-12 lead.
St. Francis (0-1) showed its mettle in coming back from an 18-point deficit and overcoming turnovers, penalties, a missed field goal and six dropped passes.
But Mira Costa drove down the field with less than a minute to play to defeat the Golden Knights, 27-22, out in Manhattan Beach.
Darius Perrantes was as good as expected.
The senior QB threw for nearly 300 yards and had TD passes to Bryson Reeves and Jackson Burgess.
The Mustangs held St. Francis star running back Kevin Armstead to just 56 yards on 11 carries.
Armstead did, however, have a 5-yard score with 10 ticks under the three-minute mark in the fourth quarter.
After the Mira Costa, score, the Golden Knights chances of a last-second road victory was dashed when, on a fourth-down play, SF dropped its sixth of six passes from Perrantes.
Expect coach Jim Bonds to have his boys ready Friday when the Golden Knights host Damien at 7.
La Salle (0-2) is going to have a rebuilding year.
There is no way to sugarcoat the position the Lancers football program finds themselves in.
After coach Russell Gordon resigned, every single ‘skilled’ player (receiver, running back, quarterback) that was eligible to come back transferred out.
First year coach Andrew Pankow is doing a heck of a job, but it’s something everyone at the school knows will take patience and time.
La Salle fell to Salesian, 7-6, at home.
The Lancers got a four-yard TD pass from Mario Veliz to Giovanni Butteri in the third quarter.
But the failed point after attempt was costly.
The running game was almost non-existent, but the young program fought throughout.
The Lancers get back at it Friday night against Birmingham of Lake Balboa (1-0).
** Thanks to Keira Wight for the La Salle picture
‘Week Two’ Football Schedule:
Thursday: Sun Valley at Flintridge Prep at 6:30
Friday: Damien at St. Francis at 7
Friday: Muir at Stellar Prep at 7
Friday: Pasadena at Pioneer at 7
Friday: Maranatha vs Azusa at Citrus College at 7
Friday: Birmingham at La Salle at 7
Friday: San Gabriel vs Marshall at Pasadena HS at 7
Saturday: La Canada at Poly at 2
Football Standings Through August 24:
Angelus League:
Cathedral (2-0)
Crespi (2-0)
Salesian (1-1)
St. Francis (0-1)
Del Rey League:
St. Paul (2-0)
St. Genevieve (1-1)
La Salle (0-2)
Harvard-Westlake (0-2)
St. Anthony (0-2)
Mission Valley League:
Rosemead (2-0)
Gabrielino (2-0)
El Monte (2-0)
Arroyo (1-1)
Marshall (0-2)
South El Monte (0-2)
Mountain View (0-2)
Olympic League:
Heritage Christian (2-0)
Maranatha (1-1)
Valley Christian (1-1)
Village Christian (0-2)
Whittier Christian (0-2)
Pacific League:
Crescenta Valley (2-0)
Muir (1-0)
Pasadena (1-1)
Arcadia (1-1)
Hoover (1-1)
Burbank (1-1)
Burroughs (0-1)
Glendale (0-2)
Prep League:
Poly (1-0)
Rio Hondo Prep (1-1)
Santa Clarita Christian (1-1)
Vasquez (1-1)
