Duarte continued its late season run, by swarming the Minutemen and holding them to just 17. (Photo by Gary Lee)
By Cory Kwok
(Pasadena)- Duarte’s Jordan Johnson scored on a two yard run with 2:38 remaining and Adam Moline helped clinch the victory shortly thereafter with a red zone interception for the Falcons as they defeated Maranatha 27-17 in the first round of the CIF-SS Northwest Division playoffs.
The win was Duarte’s first in the post-season since defeating L.A. Baptist (Now Heritage Christian) in 2008. It was also the team’s fourth straight win and improved them to 7-4 overall. The loss closes out Maranatha’s first season under new HC Jude Oliva with an 8-3 record. The Falcon victory snapped a six game Minutemen winning streak.
***The Minutemen, three-and-out on their first possession, advanced to the Falcons’ 13 on its second, but stalled and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Grant Schober with 3:01 left in the first.
***Two plays and 28 seconds later on the ensuing possession, Duarte struck paydirt and went ahead for good when quarterback Isaiah Scott (14/22, 194 yards, 2 TD) hit Darryl Robinson for a 38-yard touchdown and 6-3 Falcon lead. Robinson (4 receptions for 94 yards) helped stretch that to 12-3 with eight seconds to spare before halftime by notching a four yard touchdown run.
***Pass-frequent Maranatha was led by Eli Snyder, who completed 29 of 53 for 300 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
***Devyn Washington picked off Snyder on the Minutemen’s first second half possession, but the Falcons coughed it up on the subsequent play from scrimmage as Caleb Devine surfaced with a fumble recovery.
***Maranatha took advantage from that and chewed 5:45 of clock, 14 plays, and 57 yards enroute to cutting its deficit to two points as Snyder struck Aidan Yamada for a 18-yard touchdown.
***A personal foul penalty against Maranatha early in the fourth negated a crucial red zone turnover giving Duarte the ball at the Maranatha 12.
***That penalty would prove to haunt as Scott hit Sam Edwards for a 12-yard score and 20-10 Falcon advantage. Edwards was effective there (5 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TD) and rushing wise (10 rushes, 93 yards with three runs of over 20-yards).
***Maranatha closed it to 20-17 5:49 4th Caleb Devine 7yd run
***Maranatha receivers: Joseph “JoJo” Karavedas 10 receptions 96 yards, Darron McWhorter 5 receptions 83 yards, Xavius Boone 7 for 67, Aidan Yamada 3 for 43,TD
***Duarte will host Bishop Diego (34-0 winners over North Torrance) next week.
Leave a Reply