MidValleySports.Com

By Tony Solorzano

(La Mirada) – Two second half touchdowns from Adam Carrasco helped La Mirada erase a 15-14 halftime deficit as they knocked off St. Francis 28-21 Friday night on Senior Night at Ron Davis Stadium.

The Matadors (3-1, 0-0) took advantage of two second half turnovers that killed potential scoring drives by the Golden Knights (2-1, 0-0). The Matadors also climbed back into the game on two possessions in the third that gave them the ball for all but 1:16 in the period.

The Matadors took the opening kickoff to start the second half trailing, 15-14, with a touchback putting the ball on the Matador’s 20-yard line. Quarterback Gerry Myres then started the Matadors on a 17-play drive that spanned 8:26 in the period and was capped by Carrasco’s one-yard score, putting the Matadors up 21-15.

On the ensuing possession, the Golden Knights got a gift of a roughing the passer penalty on the Matadors when quarterback Jared Lebowitz received a late hit after rushing for 12 yards, which put the ball on the Matadors’ 41-yard line. However, on the next play, Lebowitz’s pass attempt to Joe Mudie was intercepted by the Matadors and returned to midfield. But despite the turnover, the Matadors had to punt the ball away early in the fourth.

The Golden Knights tied up the game on their first possession of the fourth, coming off the stop of the Matadors. Daniel Kawamura, the Golden Knights’ leading rusher, took four carries and moved the ball 48 yards, setting up Lebowitz to hit Matthew Gonzalez with a 26-yard strike with 9:08 left in the game.

On their next possession, the Matadors took back the lead as Carrasco closed out another 80-yard drive, this time with a run from 26 yards out, putting the Matadors up 28-21 with 5:37 left in the game.

Lebowitz would get the Golden Knights moving on the ensuing possession, running the ball twice for 23 yards and a first down and a 14-yard completion to Evan Crawford to get the ball into Matador territory. But Lebowitz’ second pass of the drive, a 12-yard pass to Tommy Scheper, was knocked out of Scheper’s hands and recovered by the Matadors defense, ending the Golden Knights’ chances.

Carrasco finished the night with 35 carries for 213 yards and two scores for the Matadors. Myres completed 13 of 20 passes for 175 and a touchdown, a 58-yard pass to Dallas Shipp. Shipp’s touchdown catch was one of 10 he made for 127 yards. Kevin Dillman had only three carries for 45 yards before having to leave the game in the third with a leg injury. But one of his three carries was a 38-yard touchdown run that put the Matadors up 14-0 with less than five minutes to go in the first.