Northview’s Andres Hooper (Photo By Duane Barker)
By Tim Peterson
(Covina) – Paul Cooper picked off a pass with seven seconds left to seal Northview’s 35-28 win over San Dimas Thursday night at Covina District Field.
Northview led 14-7 at the half and jumped out to a 28-7 lead late in the third quarter but had to hold on in the fourth as the Saints stormed back. After forcing Northview to punt San Dimas got the ball back at its own with just 21 seconds remaining. After a 15-yard pass from Joey Tamayo to Jarrell Sykes for a first down, Cooper leaped up and came down with a Tamayo pass on the next play at the 25 to ice it.
The win was huge for Northview as San Dimas is its biggest challenge in the Valle Vista. The winner of this game usually comes away with the league title.
Sykes got the Saints on the board first with a 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. But the Vikings responded by scoring the next four touchdowns as Steven Comstock threw a 26-yard TD strike to Dominic Ramirez and also ran for a pair of scores. Elijah Grijalva also hit the end zone on a one-yard blast.
After Sykes scored on another long run – this time for 61 yards – to cut the Northview lead to 28-14 in the third Northview immediately punched back when Antwaun Ayers returned the kick off 85 yards for a touchdown. Ayers sprint proved to be the difference.
Andres Hooper led the Viking rushing attack with 121 yards on 13 carries including some punishing runs in the fourth quarter that burned some clock and kept the Saints at bay.
“He took some hits but he dished some out too,” said Northview Coach Marcel Perez. “He was physical tonight.”
*** Sykes finished with 229 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries for San Dimas.
*** Tamayo threw just six passes for the Saints completing three for 44 yards and an interception.
*** Dominic Cortez rushed for 123 yards and a score on 17 carries for the Saints.
*** The Saints had 412 yards rushing overall.
*** Comstock completed 17-32 for 211 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for just 11 yards but two scores.
*** Ramirez was the go to guy for Comstock catching six passes for 134 yards and a score.
*** Daniel Jackson’s ten yard run cut the Viking lead to 35-28 with 2:17 left in the contest.
*** Cooper had six receptions 53 yards in addition to his dagger interception.
*** San Dimas turned the ball over twice and the Vikings once. San Dimas was on the verge of a 14-0 lead in the first quarter but Northview forced a Sykes fumble at the Viking 17.
*** “We haven’t won anything yet. We’ll enjoy this one tonight but then we have to get ready for another opponent next week,”- Perez said.
*** Northview improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in league while San Dimas fell to 4-3 and 1-1.
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