HS FOOT: Gittelson's SUNDAY REWIND

POINTS AFTER TOUCHDOWN

BY GERRY GITTELSON
Columnist

Saugus High’s football program is still shaking with excitement after a miracle 33-28 upset victory Friday over Westlake, as Desi Rodriguez passed 46 yards to Chris Aaron for a touchdown with no time remaining.

This was just the kind of step-up victory that Saugus, forever in the shadow of nearby powers Canyon and Hart of Newhall, needed to prove it belongs among the elite.

“It’s surreal. This was probably the greatest moment of my life,” Rodriguez said. “It’s really exciting. I think we’re finally creeping up on people.”

Aaron had only caught two passes in two seasons before the touchdown reception.

“I knew it was the last play of the game, so I had to catch it to win,” Aaron said. “The ball kind of came out of nowhere. It was just amazing.”

Bornn was so nervous that when the pass left Rodriguez’s hand, the coach could not bring himself to look.

Then Bornn heard the crowd go crazy, and the coach realized exactly what happened.

Through the years, Bornn has done the same thing on last-second field goal attempts.

“What can I say? I’m a weirdo. I just couldn’t watch,” Bornn said. “I just look away and wait for the crowd noise, and boy did I hear them. This is by far the biggest victory since I’ve been here. It’s huge. We’ve never beaten a team this highly ranked and this highly regarded.”

-- Village Christian of Sun Valley is 0-3 after forfeiting an opening victory over Junipero Serra because of an ineligible player, running back Jacob Franco, a transfer from Montclair Prep of Panorama City. Coach Jeff Cortez wasn’t available for comment.

-- Finally got a chance Friday to ask Darrell Scott, in a great mood at the time after rushing for nearly 300 yards and four TDs in a victory over Canyon, why he transferred from Moorpark to St. Bonaventure: “There was some conflict and some issues at Moorpark, but I really don’t want to get
that into it. It just wasn’t the right place for me.”

-- How does a guy who scored 99 touchdowns in high school end up as a DEFENSIVE coordinator? If you’re Ted Iacenda, that’s easy.

“No one else wanted the job,” said Iacenda, the former star running back at Hart of Newhall who’s the defensive coordinator at Alemany of Mission Hills. “If someone else came forward, it might have been different, but they asked me to do it.”

Alemany head coach Dean Herrington, who coached Iacenda at Hart during Herrington’s 11-year reign as offensive coordinator, has remained close friends with Iacenda through the years – but no one in Herrington’s world ever will call the plays except for him because Herrington is well-known as an offensive guru.

Alemany is averaging 43 points heading into Thursday’s showdown against Saugus, but the Warriors are also playing sound defense. They’ve given up an average of 24 points, but most of the touchdowns allowed have come late in second half after the games were decided.

“Ted is doing a good job,” Herrington said.

Iacenda plans to dedicate his life to coaching, so this is an important stepping stone for him.

“I’ll be 30 in November, and being a defensive coordinator makes me a better candidate to be a head coach,” he said.

-- Speaking of offensive gurus, Greg Weiss, who won four eight-man titles in eight appearances at Faith Baptist of Canoga Park, retired last year to Green Bay, Wisc., but he’s just taken a job as offensive coordinator at Windward of L.A., flying back and forth and staying in Santa Monica with the family of one of the players.

For some, it’s a dream gig. You live the Friday Night Lights but don’t deal with the red tape during the week.

“I’m enjoying it very much,” Weiss said.

-- Lancaster running back Taveon Burke, a hidden-gem desert talent who is the reigning Southern Section Div. I long jump champion, didn’t start in a 42-21 victory over Chatsworth because of “team rules violations.”

But what an impact Burke made once he got an opportunity, scoring on a 41-yard run the first time he touched the football and finishing with 124 yards on just five carries. Burke also scored on a 56-yard run as Lancaster came back from an eight-point deficit.

-- Because of a quirk in the schedule and a bye last week, Golden Valley doesn’t play its first home game until Sept. 28 against Kilpatrick – four weeks since its season opener Aug. 31.

-- Talk about frustration. In a 36-13 victory over Poly of Sun Valley, San Fernando had three touchdowns called back – all within a span of six plays.

“it got to the point where I wasn’t even mad. We were joking about it,” coach Tom Hernandez said.

This week will be serious business, however, as the Tigers (1-1) prepare for Friday’s game against Banning (2-0), averaging 55.5 points per game. The Pilots have defeated Los Angeles 56-6 and Fremont of L.A. 55-29.

Meantime, San Fernando WR Stacey Richards, one of the City’s top sophomores, recovered sooner than expected from a hip pointer. Richards caught five passes for 72 yards.

“We did a lot of whirlpool stuff, and that worked,” Hernandez said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
(661) 257-5218

DAILY NEWS PREP FOOTBALL TOP 20
1. Notre Dame (2-0) – Big test this week vs. Birmingham
2. Hart (2-0) – B.R. Holbrook: 18 of 21, 278 yds, 2 TDs last week
3. Oaks Christian (2-0) – Showdown vs. St. Bonnie this week
4. Birmingham (2-1) – Two impressive victories following opening loss
5. Saugus (2-0) – Is this Saugus’ first top-5 appearance in program history?
6. Crespi (2-1) – Celts’ grueling nonleague schedule is unrelenting
7. Canyon (0-2) – Easy game vs. Lancaster this week a welcome reprieve
8. Chaminade (2-0) – So far, so good under new coach Anthony Harris
9. Newbury Park (2-0) – Limited Rio Mesa to 103 yards in 15-7 win
10. Westlake (1-1) – Must rebound from heartbreaking last-second loss to Saugus
11. Alemany (2-0) – Few opponents have this much speed
12. Oak Park (2-0) – Embarrassed larger Royal 35-0 last week
13. Palmdale (1-1) – Ronald Scott: 218 yds rushing, 4 TDs last week
14. Harvard Westlake (2-0) – Five first-half TDs in 41-0 win over V.N.
15. Rio Mesa (1-1) – Not the same team after heavy graduation losses
16. St. Francis (1-1) – Much better after disappointing opening loss
17. Loyola (1-1xxxxx) – Faces 0-3 Dana Hills this week in one of few easy games
18. Moorpark (2-1) – Adjusting to life without Darrell Scott
18. Camarillo (2-1) – A lot more talented than people realize
19. Agoura (1-1) – Asleep during first half of 34-16 loss to Camarillo
20. Paraclete (3-0) – Spirits on quest to reclaim past glory

HE SAID

“There were four seconds left, and my coach told me to just throw the ball because this is what legends are made of.”

-- Saugus QB Desi Rodriguez, on his 46-yard game-winning pass Friday with no time remaining to defeat Westlake 33-28

UNSUNG HERO
David Green does a little of everything for Paraclete – and he does them all well. A quarterback last year, he’s switched to receiver, free safety and kick returner this season, and he’s a key reason Paraclete, once among California’s proudest programs, is on the rebound.

In a 39-0 victory over Littlerock, Green scored on a 32-yard reception and a 62-yard interception return.

“It’s not just the touchdowns. David Green was on a roll against Littlerock,” coach Norm Dahlia said. “He does all the little things like making downfield blocks to give the running backs an extra lane. He returns kicks, and he plays tailback, too. He’s one guy would would really miss because he just comes up with huge plays.”

FRIDAY’S TOP PERFORMANCES

Anthony Dawkins, RB, Granada Hills – Dawkins rushed for 182 yards and both touchdowns in a 14-7 upset over Sylmar, the Highlanders’ second victory in a row.

Kevin Ramay, QB, Grace Brethren – Thriving in Grace Brethren’s pass-first, ask questions later offense, Ramay completed 27 of 46 for 359 yards and six TDs in a loss to small-schools power Big Bear

Brandon Lott, DL, Antelope Valley – Lott registered five tackles for losses in a 35-12 victory over Barstow, the first win for new coach Brett Pape.

BIG GAMES
Notre Dame (2-0) at Birmingham (2-1), Thursday, 8 p.m. – Lots of skill-position talent on both sides make this intrasectional matchup one of the year’s most anticipated games. Notre Dame features QB Dayne Crist, among the nation’s top-ranked players at any position, along with RB Thaddeus Brown, DL Wes Horton and LBs Anthony McDonald and Hayden Hunter.

Birmingham has won two City titles in a row behind RB Milton Knox, who has committed to UCLA. Other key players include WR De’Von Flournoy, TE Mychal Rivera, DLs Malik and Marquis Jackson and LB Donovan Carter.

Oaks Christian (2-0) vs. St. Bonaventure (3-0) of Ventura at Ventura High, Friday 7:30 p.m. – A rematch of last year’s monumental 59-13 victory by Oaks Christian, you can bet St. Bonaventure will be out for revenge.

A showdown between two great RBs, Oaks Christian sophomore Malcolm Jones vs. St. Bonaventure’s Darrell Scott, who has two consecutive 200-yard performances.

Saugus (2-0) at Alemany (2-0), Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – Two programs on the rise meet in this attractive nonleague showdown. Saugus, led by QB Desi Rodriguez, RB Ryan Zirbel, OL Shane Watterson and LBs Justin and Ryan McKillop, is on a rush after a thrilling, last-second 33-28 upset over Westlake.

Alemany, led by QB Patrick McKernon, RBs Malcolm Marable and Antonio Bray and WRs Jon Mesa, Chris Gant and Leandro Quesado, averages 43 points.

INJURY REPORT

Cassius Marsh, Oaks Christian, DL (thigh) – Marsh, a sophomore transfer who faces his former school, St. Bonaventure, on Friday, is definite following a bye week.

Nate Mestizo, Canyon, OL/DL (ankle) – Mestizo left Friday’s loss to St. Bonaventure to ice his ankle. He’s day to day.

Kyle Morgan, St. Francis, RB (ankle)– Morgan didn’t suit up last game, but he’s probable this week at Burroughs.

Michael Janios, Alemany, OL (knee) – Janios, injured during practice prior to the opening scrimmage, is definite this week against Saugus after missing the first two games.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
(661) 257-5218