(Rowland Heights) With their backs as close to being against the wall as they could be in regards to a post season appearance, the Los Altos Conquerors and Tyler Nevens put together one of their best offensive efforts and beat the West Covina Bulldogs 42-28 Friday night.
Los Altos pushed their record to 5-4, 2-2 in the Hacienda League while West Covina dropped to 4-5, 2-2 in league with hope waning fast for the Bulldogs.
Nevens got the scoring started with 8:13 left in the first quarter when he took a handoff, went over the right side and scored on a 22-yard run.
West Covina responded on their ensuing drive going 80 yards on nine plays with Kevin Thomas scoring on an 11 yard run.
The Conquerors pushed their lead back to 14 to close out the first frame on a 26 yard run by Nevens.
With 7:50 left in the second quarter Los Altos extended their lead to 14 on a 60 yard bolt to paydirt by who else? Nevens.
Nevens finished the half with 162 yards and all three Los Altos touchdowns.
Aaron McCorkle brought the Bulldogs to within a touchdown on a seven yard run with 1:17 left in the half.
Los Altos came out firing in the second half and went back up 28-14 on a 79 yards run by Nevens.
West Covina answered back with a 65 yard drive of their own with Michael Gomez scoring from five yards away.
Just when the Bulldogs though they were inching closer to tying the game, the Conquerors hit West Covina with another bolt of lightning when Michael Campbell hit Andrew Manuele over the middel for a 60 yard catch and dash to the endzone.
Down two score the Bulldogs went on a drive late in the third period going 80 yards on 11 plays with McCorkle finding Jacob Acosta from five yards away.
After getting a stop the West Covina offense went on a 15 play drive all the way to the Los Altos seven. On third and two from the seven, Prentis Busby took a pitched and got drilled in the backfield coughing up the ball. Nicholas Gonzales scooped up the loose ball at his own 13 and rumbled 87 yards to glory.
The Bulldogs had one last scoring chance late in the game but the drive was thwarted when Nevens picked off McCorkle in the endzone to end the threat.
***Nevens finished he night gaining 273 yards on 16 carries with four scores and the interception.
***Thomas was West Covina’s leading rusher with 111 yards on 21 carries and the lone score.
***Campbell was efficient the the Los Altos passing game hitting on six of nine for 116 yards and one touchdown.
***McCorkle completed 18 of 22 passes for 247 yards and one touchdown and the one costly interception.
***Manuele only caught the one pass but it was huge for a sixty yard score.
***Gomez had a solid night for Westco gaining 110 yards on 17 carries and a score.
***Acosta was the Bulldog leading receiver with six catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.
***Los Altos head coach Dale Ziola commented after the game “we’ve been on the wrong side of some tough games this year. We’ve stayed tough and it feels good be on the right side of one for once.”
***Up next for the Conquerors is a trip east to do battle with Diamond Ranch.
***West Covina has an even tougher battle with their neighbors to the north, Charter Oak.
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