Claremont Escapes BG, 20-15

Claremont HC Mike Collins and QB Ryan O'Connor strategize on Friday night at BG. (Photo by Joe T.)

Claremont HC Mike Collins and QB Ryan O’Connor strategize on Friday night at BG. (Photo by Joe T.)

By Joe Torosian

(Bell Gardens)—Claremont won but was hardly spectacular in its 20-15 verdict over Bell Gardens on Friday night. The victory improved the Wolfpack to 4-1 and the Lancers fell to 0-4 on the season.

Claremont had more speed, more playmakers, and size it just didn’t have a good game. Quarterback Jerry O’Connor hit Jordan Goodrich on a 9-yard scoring pass to give the Wolfpack a 7-0 lead on the game’s first drive. Jacob Olesniewicz kicked two field goals to make it 13-0 at the break.

But Claremont hurt itself with penalties and by coughing the ball up twice.

For Bell Gardens they fared about the same. The offense was anemic and penalties short circuited potential drives.

Midway through the third the BG defense, tough all night, crunched the Wolfpack’s O’Connor and forced a fumble. The Lancers Ernesto Sandoval scooped up the loose ball and stumbled into the end zone. An eye blink later holder Manuel Contreras turned a high snap into two points and it was a 13-8 game.

Wolfpack pushed back with a five minute drive that was capped by Duy Tran-sampson’s 1-yard run.

In the fourth BG’s Erick Galicia crashed in on a 3-yard run to make the score 20-15.

The rest of the contest was Claremont trying to run out the clock and the Lancers looking for a way to score. Bell Gardens last shot came on a 38-yard pass from Jordan Cardenas to Juan Carranza with 25 seconds to play. Carranza’s catch converted a third and 15 but as he was being tackled the ball came free and the Wolfpack’s Damien Cannon recovered.

 

 

 

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