By Matt Schuler
(Baldwin Park)- Baldwin Park opened Valley Vista League play with a big hitting, high octane, offense for a 28-7 victory over visiting Covina Friday night.
Quarterback Manny Salcedo threw two 80-yard touchdown passes, Wardell Crutchfield III returned an interception 40 yards for a score and the Baldwin Park defense forced Covina into 5 sacks and 7 punts.
Welcome to the home of the Braves.
BP is now 5-1 overall and 1-0 to kick off the Valley Vista league play and head coach James Heggins could not pin point any one reason why his team has been successful.
“Its an all around effort,” said Heggins after the victory. “The game is three phases and you got to win at least two of those phases if you think your gonna be successful. Im glad our team played hard tonight.”
Covina is now 2-3, 0-1 in league.
After its opening drive stalled, Baldwin Park was not gonna take no for an answer the second time around and Crutchfield punched in three-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 with 4:20 in the first.
The drive was sparked by Jesse Moran’s 42-yard run on his third carry of the game. Moran finished with 107 yards on 12 carries.
Crutchfield, the son of former Duarte coach Wardell Crutchfield Jr., finished his night with a rushing touchdown, an Interception to the house, and a sack late in the game.
“Great football player, great kid,” said Heggins. “He works hard in the weight room, he works hard on the field and he works hard in the class room.”
With 51 seconds remaining in the first, Salcedo threw a bomb to Gustavo Lucatero, who had time to look over both shoulders before converting the catch into an 80 yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead at half.
In the second quarter it was Christian Lazaro, who hauled in a Salcedo pass and shook off the would be tackler to take it 80 yards for a 21-0 score with 6:36 in the half.
“Me and Manny (Salcedo), we just connected,” said Lazaro describing his touchdown catch. “We work on that play every week in practice”.
Covina running back Seabastian Duran scored the lone touchdown Colts on a four-yard run.
Crutchfield’s interception return before the half was the icing on the cake, extending the Braves lead 28-7.
Baldwin Park plays host to Pomona next week. Covina is a home against Valley Vista powerhouse San Dimas.
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