MidValleySports.Com

By Tony Solorzano

No comeback magic for the Lancers against Norco

(Whittier) – An error-filled night cost La Serna dearly as they gave up 33 unanswered points to end thir nonleague season with a 39-16 shellacking at the hands of Norco, Friday noght T Whittier District Field.

The Lancers (4-1. 0-0) watched almost helplessly as the youngrr brother of former Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, quarterback Coltin Gerhart, scored four touchdowns and led the Cougars (3-1, 0-0) in rushing. However, after takig a 16-6 lead after the first quarter, the Lancers fell apart, surrendering the ball on downs and costly fumbles, which vexed Lancer head coach Margarito Beltran to no end.

“This was not a game I’m happy with,” said Beltran after the game. “But it’s better we have a game like this rather than get a false sense of security.”

The Lancers started out looking like they had the game in hand early as Austin Johnson took the opening kickoff and returned it 85 yards for the score, 14 seconds into the game. Gerhart put the Cougars on the board with a 65-yard bootleg run but the point after attempt by kicker Anthony Bravo was no good.

The end of the quarter saw the Lancers increase their lead on a botched punt. As the Lancers punted the ball inside the Cougars’ 10, the ball brushed off one of the defenders, forcing Kwesi Mashack to grab the ball and attempt to run. However, he was tackled in the end zone for a safety. Bryce Oliver then closed out the ensuing possession as he scored from 11 yards out with 12.6 seconds left in the period, giving the Lancers a 16-6 lead as the quarter ended.

They would not score again for the remainder of the game.

From the second quarter on, it was all Norco, as Gerhart showed the same kind of rushing prowess his older brother displayed in Palo Alto. Gerhart scored twice late in the second to give the Cougars a 19-6 lead on two runs if three and 23 yards each, the 23-yard score another bootleg that completely fooled the Lancer defense.

In the third, the Lancer defense was fooled again as Taylor Willie took a fourth-down punt snap and rushed 55 yards for the score with 9:14 left in the period. The Lancers had a golden opportunity to get back into the game with less than five minutes left in the period. Palmer engineered a 17-play drive that went 89 yards, but Oliver’s rush from the 12, which should have resulted in a touchdown, turned into a turnover as Oliver fumbled the ball into the end zone, where the Cougars recovered the ball for a touchback, ending the Lancers’ chances to score.

In the fourth, Gerhart scored his fourth touchdown, a six-yard run, with 7:54 left in the game. Then Coy Young ended the scoring with a 1yard run with 4:46 left.

Aside from Gerharts performance, Joseph Ajeigbe rushed 20 times for 129 yards. Palmer had one of his lowest outputs so far this season, completing only eight of 21 passes for 87 yards and threw an interception.

The Lancers hit their bye week and return to action when Del Rio League action commences on October 5 against Pioneer at Titan Stadium.