By Juan Carlos Salas
(Alhambra) – Alhambra High School let a two-touchdown lead slip away before rebounding to defeat L.A. Wilson 21-17.
Moor quarterback, Darrian Cazarin, had a field day with his offense, producing 210 total yards and three touchdowns while running back Vailele Peko rushed for 62 yards.
Alhambra got on the board in its first drive of the second quarter after Cazarin connected with Mitchell Crockom for a 9-yard touchdown. The Moors scored again with one play in its next possession. Joseph Becerra took the short pass and converted it into an 80-yard touchdown after cutting the inside safety and finding open field for the 14-0 lead.
Going into a 2-minute drill, Rau Gasque took over quarterback duties for Wilson and immediately found Michael Lopez for an 8-yard touchdown. After a field goal with a minute left in the half, Wilson shrunk the lead 14-10.
Alhambra could’ve extended the lead late in the third quarter after driving 60 yards to the Wilson 10 but following a Cockrom dropped ball, Cazarin was picked off in the back of the end zone, throwing into double coverage.
The Mules took advantage of the turnover and Gasque converted a 15-yard pass to Emmanuel Soto to cap an 80-yard drive and take the lead, 17-14, to the dismay of the home crowd.
Yet, nine minutes was plenty of time and Cazarin knew it. “When you have a good quarterback like that, you want to keep it in his hands,” Alhambra Head Coach Gil Ruedaflores said.
And Cazarin showed the expected leadership leading the Moors to the Wilson 25. On third & long Cazarin found Becerra again for a 30-yard touchdown and the 21-17 final.
“Boys played till the end of the fourth quarter, and that’s the difference,” said Ruedaflores. “They didn’t quite. There was a lot of adversity. And they came and played the way they had to play.”
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