Aztecs celebrate victory and another title
(Glendora) The Azusa Aztecs once again claimed the Montview League title with a resounding 50-21 win over the visiting La Puente Warriors Thursday night at the stadium at Citrus College.
Desmond Reed once again put on a show for the Aztec faithful amassing 214 yards rushing and receiving with scoring four touchdowns.
Reed did have a big nigh but it was Amador Arteaga who got Azusa on the board with a little more than five minutes gone in the opening frame. Arteaga took an inside handoff from Jake Martinez and bolted up the middle 35 yards to paydirt. Jesus Arteaga added the extra point to give the Aztecs a 7-0 lead.
A few minutes later it was the Azusa defense lighting up the scoreboard. Luis Nunez batted down a pass from the Warrior’s Ivan Vasquez and into the waiting arms of Robert Chelala. Chelala did the rest racing 35 yard for the score.
Down 14-0 La Puente mounted a scoring drive early in the second stanza. An eight play 60 yard drive was capped when Vasquez found Jorge Martinez over the middle for a 13 yard score. Carlos Lopez added the extra point to cut the lead in half.
The Warrior score server only to fuel the fire of the Aztec offense who promptly when on a 22 point run highlighted by Reed touchdown runs of 10, 49 yards and a 24 yard touchdown pass from Martinez to Reed. Azusa also sandwiched in a safety for good measure. Reed finished the night carrying the ball 21 times for 132 yards and three scores and caught five passes for 82 yards and another touchdown.
Things didn’t fare much better for the Warriors in the second half as the Aztecs came right out and went on an 8 play, 80 yard scoring drive. The drive was finalized by Cameron Blackburn who scored on a one yard run.
La Puente did manage to get into the endzone one last time on the night late in the final frame. Michael Diaz got the call and raced his way 17 yards for the score while most eyes were on Nick Barrientos. Barrientos the leading ground gainer for the Warriors managed 94 yards on 14 carries.
“We are definitely pleased with the win tonight. We thought it would be a closer game than that but we got motivated early and I saw it in our kids eyes that they were ready and it was going to be tough to stop us” commented Azusa head coach Joe Scherf after the game.
By way of their finishing 1-2 in Montview League play, both teams will be looking to Sunday to see where they’ll land in respect to the CIF playoffs.
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