MidValleySports.Com

By Tony Solorzano

(Whittier)- Four scores by quarterback Daniel Chacon led Whittier Christian to claim a share of the Olympic League title as they defeated Valley Christian 41-23 Friday night at Whittier College‘s Memorial Stadium.

Chacon scored two touchdowns in the air and ran for two more to lead the Heralds (6-3, 3-0) as they struck a near-fatal blow to the playoff chances for the Crusaders (4-6, 3-1).

After a scoreless first quarter, both teams exploded for scores. The Heralds got on the board first as a bad punt by the Crusaders gave the Heralds the ball in Crusader territory. Chacon scored from two yards out on the first play of the quarter, completing the quick six-play drive, but Dylan Murphy‘s kick was blocked.

The Crusaders answered back five and a half minutes later as Charlie Martinez kicked a 32-yard field goal, cutting the lead in half. Both teams would score in the final minute of the half. Quarterback Patrick Avila put the Crusaders up with 48 seconds left in the half on his eight-yard run, then the Heralds answered as Cody Bronkar caught an 11-yard pass from Chacon with two seconds left to put the Heralds back up on top as the half ended.

In the third, the Heralds extended the lead with three scores in the quarter. Chacon connected with Michael Munnerlyn for a 10-yard score three minutes into the game on their first possession of the second half.

Two possessions later, Ryan Morales scored from six yards out with 4:27 left, but once again, Murphy’s point-after attempt failed. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Valley Christian’s Jaylen Raye took the kick at the Crusader 19, then broke three tackles and got a key block from his brother Jerry as he went 81 yards for the touchdown.

Not to be outdone, Grant Escobar nearly answered with a run of his own, taking the kickoff at his own goal line and returning the ball 75 yards, only to be knocked out of bounds by the Crusaders to prevent the score. Three plays later, Chacon scored from a yard out with 3:50 left, then hit Andrew Garcia for the two-point conversion.

In the fourth, Martinez pulled in a 27-yard pass from Avila to cut the lead to 12 with just under seven minutes left, however, the Heralds would have one more score as senior Grant Escobar scored his final touchdown in from of the home crowd with 3:30 left in the game, an 18-yad rush.

Chacon passed for 310 yards on 18 passes, throwing two touchdowns, while also rushing for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Morales led the Heralds on the ground with 73 yards on 20 carries. Bronkar caught a dozen passes for 172 yards and a touchdown.

Raye led the Crusaders ground attack with 92 yards on 20 carries, as well as an 82-yard kickoff return in the third. Avila threw 16 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown but was sacked six times for losses of 36 yards and an interception. David Coley caught five passes for 77 yards in the loss.

With their regular season over, Valley Christian now wait’s the end of the regular season to see if they reach the postseason, while Whittier Christian travels to Occidental College for their season finale against Village Christian.

SCORING SUMMARY

Valley Christian 0 10   7 6 23

Whittier Christian 0 14 21 6 41

SCORING

1st Quarter

NONE

2nd Quarter

11:56 – WC – Daniel Chacon 2 run, kick blocked

6:25 – VC – Charlie Martinez 26 Field Goal

48.4 – VC – Patrick Avila 8 run, Martinez kick

02.1 – WC – Cody Bronkar 11 pass from Chacon, Bronkar pass

3rd Quarter

8:58 – WC – Michael Munnerlyn 10 pass from Chacon, Dylan Murphy kick

4:27 – WC – Ryan Morales 6 run, kick failed

4:13 – VC – Jaylen Raye 81 Kickoff Return, Martinez kick

3:50 – WC – Chacon 1 run, Andrew Garcia pass

4th Quarter

6:55 – VC – Martinez 27 pass from Avila, pass failed

3:30 – WC – Grant Escobar 18 run, kick failed