Cazarin and Peko lead the way for the Moors
(Temple City) The Alhambra Moors scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Darrian Cazarin to Joseph Becerra to take a 17-14 lead and steal the win in the home opener for the Temple City Rams Friday night.
“The boys were determined in the second half, they knew they had to come out here and out play them and they did. Not being able to play for a couple of weeks hurt us but we bounced back and played some defense” commented Head Coach Gil Reudaflores after the game.
The Cazarin to Becerra touchdown came with 8:44 left in the game after a Justin Smith fumble set the Moors up at the Ram 36.
Alhambra (1-1) also got the first points of the game on a 25-yard field goal by Alex Lopez. The Moors were assisted on the scoring drive by a questionable pass interference call on fourth and long.
From punt formation, Cazarin faked the punt and launched a pass downfield in the direction of Mitchell Crockum. Paco Ojeda and Crockum both went up for the ball. Ojeda appeared to have made the interception but was flagged for pass interference.
The ball was given to Alhambra at the spot of the foul as the officiating crew deemed that Crockum had made the catch not Ojeda. The Ram defense stayed on the field and held the Moors to just a field goal.
Temple City (0-2) got on the board with 11:21 left in the first half on a two yard run by Max Ruckle. The score was set
Ruckle gets some tough yards against Alhambra
up by a punt return and late hit that put the Rams in business at the Alhambra 33-yard line.
The Rams did have one more opportunity to put points on the board late in the first half. A Cazarin fumble was recovered by Temple City at the Moor 40. Five plays later the Rams lined up for a 30-yard field goal. Andrew Tinsley’s effort fell short and Temple City headed to the locker room with a four point advantage.
Early in the third quarter, the Rams went on a seven play 60-yard drive capped by a 37-yard bust up the gut from Ruckle for the score. The drive was aided by a 14-yard run by Andrew Gibson from punt formation.
Alhambra drew within three when Cazarin hooked up with Vai Peko on a 48-yard bubble screen that Peko took the distance with :16 left in the third period.
Temple City had three more chances late in the game to tie or go ahead but were unable to put together sustained drives as the Alhambra defense stiffened.
With 1:23 left in the contest, the Rams were set up with decent field position a their own 42-yard line. On the first play to start the drive, Peko stepped in front of a Smith pass to seal the victory.
Up next for the Moors is a home field run in with neighboring L.A. Wison while Temple City will travel to Arcadia to revive the “Brawl for the Mall” series.
Scoring:
1st Qtr 7:13: AHS Lopez 25-yd FG
2nd Qtr 11:21 TC Ruckle 8 yd run (Tinsley kick)
3rd Qtr 9:00 TC Ruckle 37 yd run (Tinsley kick)
3rd Qtr :16 AHS Peko 48 yds from Cazarin (Lopez kick)
4th Qtr 8:44 AHS Becerra 25 yds from Cazarin (Lopez kick)
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