MidValleySports.Com

Azusa's defense was tough in the second half.

(Pomona) – For the first time all season Azusa fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter before storming back with 51-unanswered to rout Ganesha 51-7 to improve to 5-0 in the Montview League and stay undefeated during the regular season.

Brian Nieto shook off an early fumble to run for 125 yards on 10 carries and scored three touchdowns to help lead the Aztecs offense get on track in the second half. Nieto scored from one, 23 and 38-yards out with two of the touchdowns coming in the third quarter.

In uncharacteristic fashion the Azusa offense took some time getting into gear as they played sloppily the first half. The Aztecs fumbled the ball twice in the half, most notably Jose Nunez’s fumble at the Ganesha 2-yard line with 4:44 to play.

The first quarter was all Giants who ran 21 plays and had the ball for a little over ten minutes. They took advantage of Nieto’s fumble midway through the first quarter as Andy Baeza would score from one-yard out for a short lived lead.

With the cobwebs shaken after the touchdown, Azusa’s offense went to work in a little over two minutes with Desmond Reed’s two yard scamper to tie the game at seven. Nunez saved the drive with an incredible run for six yards to make it fourth and five. With the Aztecs driving at the Giant 49-yard line, Nunez retrieved a bad snap that went all the way to the Azusa 35. He scrambled avoiding an onslaught of Ganesha lineman and managed to get to the Giant 43-yard line.

After the Giants had to punt, the Aztecs would drive right back with relative ease. Nieto set up his own touchdown with an electrifying run of 34 yards to get to the Ganesha 3-yard line. Two plays later he found the end zone.

For the Giants the wheels would fall off late in the second quarter when Francis Terriantate went down with a lower-leg injury and didn’t return. The offense sputtered without Terriantate as they only managed 19 total yards the second half.

Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Azusa attacked early in the second half wasting no time scoring on five-plays in one minute and 47 seconds. Nieto would find the end zone from 23-yards out to break the game open.

After an exchange of turnovers, the Aztecs would finally capitalize on a Ganesha mistake from five-yards out when Nunez found Abraham Ochoa in the end zone for a touchdown reception with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter.

The flood gates would soon open soon after for Azusa as they would score 23 points in three minutes and 45 seconds to blow the game open.

It all started with Nieto’s highlight reel run of 38-yards that was sure to find its way on to “Roggin’s Hero’s” as he leapt from the three-yard line and into the end zone.

Nunez would then follow with a 25-yard interception return as he jumped the route and rambled in to make the score 42-7.

Reed would add the icing on the cake with a 78-yard kick-off return after Ganesha allowed a safety. Reed was nearly tripped up at midfield only to regain his balance and outrun the Giants.

Azusa continues to wreak havoc on Montview.