MidValleySports.Com

By Ron Vrooman

(Los Angeles) – The Franklin Panthers scored on their first five possessions, building a 34-0 lead on their way to a 44-9 victory over the Alhambra Moors in an intersectional game played Friday night at Franklin High School.   

The Moors found the Panthers’ passing attack to be virtually unstoppable, as sophomore quarterback Eduardo Cuevas connected on 19 of 26 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Hector Ceballos caught seven passes for 114 yards and two TD’s to lead the Panthers’ receiving corps.   

Franklin’s ground attack, which netted 101 yards, was led by senior running back Omar Gardella, who carried the ball 17 times for 95 yards and two scores.   

In contrast, Alhambra rushed for a net total of only 11 yards. The Moors’ leading rusher was Julian Venegas Khavari, who gained 28 yards in seven attempts. However, 25 of his yards came on the next-to-last play of the game.    

Quarterback Bryan Leonard completed 11 of 27 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown for Alhambra, but he also threw four interceptions.   

The Moors got their pair of scores on a 27-yard field goal by Emilio Reynoso late in the second quarter and an 86-yard strike from Leonard to wide receiver Joshua Soto on their first series in the third. Soto caught a total of five throws for 140 yards.   

The Panthers amassed 355 total yards while the Moors gained just 171 yards from scrimmage.   

Penalties were one indication of the game’s ferocity. Franklin was penalized 14 times for 122 yards, and Alhambra drew eight penalties for a total of 60 yards.    

Franklin, a perennial football power in the L.A. City Section, improved its season record to 4-0 as Alhambra dropped to 2-2. The Moors will host the South Pasadena Tigers in their final nonleague game this Friday night at 7:00.