By Ron Vrooman
(Alhambra) – The Alhambra Moors gave new head coach Mike Mackintosh his first on-the-field victory, shutting out the Mark Keppel Aztecs, 48-0, last Thursday night.
The win by the visiting Moors allowed them to escape the Almont League cellar. Alhambra finished in fifth place with a 1-4 league record and ended up 2-8 overall. The Moors’ only other victory in 2024 came on a forfeit by El Monte.
Junior quarterback Bryan Leonard recorded his best performance of the season, completing 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Adrian Correa in the second quarter. Junior receiver Marco Vasquez had a breakout game, catching five passes for a total of 103 yards.
Six Alhambra ballcarriers combined for 173 yards and four touchdowns; the Moors’ leading rusher was junior tailback Halen Tsang, who ran eight times for 62 yards and a score.
After taking a 20-0 lead late in the second quarter, the Moors picked off Keppel quarterback Chris Contreras twice and returned both interceptions for touchdowns to take a 34-0 advantage into the break. Cornerback Jordan Chian-Rivera’s “pick-six” measured 29 yards, and cornerback Nathan Cervantes followed with a spectacular 75-yard return for a TD.
Alhambra’s defense held Keppel to 150 total yards (97 yards rushing and 53 passing). The Aztecs had two scoring opportunities, both in the third quarter, when they drove inside the Alhambra 20-yard line. However, they turned the ball over on downs each time.
Alhambra’s win over Keppel was its 24th straight in the crosstown rivalry which began in 1940. The Aztecs ended the season with a record of 0-5 in league and 0-10 overall.
Leave a Reply