La Canada Stays Perfect, 35-31

By Rich Whittington

(La Canada) – The La Canada Spartans kept their winning ways intact Friday evening, as they defeated the visiting Maranatha Minutemen, 35-31, at La Canada’s Spartan Stadium.

The Spartans, 5-0, are off to the best start in school history. Even during their storied CIF Championship year of 1979, the Spartans started 4-0-1, tying against Oxnard’s Rio Mesa, 21-21.

Maranatha opened the scoring in the first quarter when Niko Vergara scored on a 14-yard run. The Pat was successfully added by Owen Meleka, making the score 7-0 at the 8:33 mark of the opening quarter.

La Canada tied the game on the next possession, as quarterback Joe Bell scored on a 1-yard TD blast. The PAT was successfully converted by Quest Swan, making the score 7-7 as the first quarter came to a close.

The second period added even more offensive fireworks. La Canada took the lead, when Bell connected with Jacob Kim for a 45-yard touchdown. A second Swan PAT made the score 14-7 with 10:53 remaining in the opening half.

Maranatha answered, as quarterback Luke McNulty found Bradley Loiacono for an 8-yard scoring reception. A second Meleka PAT tied the score at 14-14. The Spartans again took the lead, when Bell scored his second rushing touchdown of the evening…a 3-yard pop. A third Swan PAT made the score 21-14, with 3:39 remaining on the clock.

The Minutemen tied the score for a third time, as McNulty tossed second scoring pass of the quarter…a 21-yard shot to Vergara. A third Meleka PAT made the score 21-21 as the first half came to an end.

Maranatha took the lead in the third stanza, as Meleka converted a 27-yard Field Goal attempt. This made the score 24-21, in favor of the Minutemen, with 10:36 remaining in the quarter.

La Canada retook the lead, when Bell scored his third of the night on the ground on a 3-yard run. Swan converted yet another PAT attempt, making the score 28-24, as the third quarter ended.T

The Minutemen took the lead at the halfway point of the fourth quarter, when McNulty connected with Vergara for the second time on a 26-yard catch-and-run. Another successful Meleka PAT made the score 31-28 with 5:05 remaining in regulation. However, this duel was far from over.

Conventional football wisdom tells us that, when the game is on the line, you want the ball in the hands of your best players. This is exactly how this one ended. After successfully running the clock down to less than a minute remaining, courtesy of four successful rushes by Sohan Garg, the Spartans again took to the air, where Bell connected with Swan for a 21-yard score. Swan added another PAT, making the score 35-31 with :56 remaining in the game.

Maranatha’s last possession proved unsuccessful, making the final score 35-31, in favor of the Spartans.

The Spartans next contest will be on October 11th, when they will host the Pasadena Poly Panthers, in their Rio Hondo League opener. Maranatha’s next game is on October 4th, when the Minutemen will host Linfield Christian, which begins their Mesquite League campaign. Kickoff for both of these events is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

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