MidValleySports.Com

Rowland running back Ervin Crawford

(Baldwin Park) The Rowland Raiders overcame a 16-0 third quarter deficit, scored 28 straight points and held on to beat the Baldwin Park Braves 35-29 at Baldwin Park High School Friday night to open the 2010 season.

The Braves got an early gift from the Raiders as Carlos Dominguez fumble the opening kickoff at his own 18-yard line. Baldwin Park’s Mario Rodriguez fell on the ball setting up the Braves deep in Rowland territory.

A penalty pushed the ball back to the 23  and on the third play from scrimmage Rodriguez looked to Giovanni Rosendez on the screen. Rosendez turned up field and scooted his way 23-yards for the score.

After missing the 2009 season Baldwin Park’s Demetrius Jackson was bent on making an impression and show why the University of Texas El Paso thinks so highly of him. With 10:40 left in the second period, Jackson took a Rodriguez hand off and bolted around the right side for a 13-yard touchdown.

The point after failed but the Braves were in control 13-0.

Looking up and finding themselves down 16-0 early in the third quarter, the Raiders needed a spark to get the offense rolling. They found what they were looking for in Ervin Crawford.

On their first possession in the second half, Crawford took a pitch from Micheal Ball and looked for room to run. Crawford broke one tackle once he got into the secondary, turned on the jets and was gone to paydirt.

The fired up Raider offense got some assistance from the defense as they held Baldwin Park scoreless during a string of four straight scores.

Before the Braves got back on the board late in the fourth, Rowland got three more scores. An 84-yard strike from Ball to Danny McMahon and runs of 57 and 16-yards by Ball. The 57-yarder by Ball was a thing of beauty as he started left and after being bottled up, reversed his field and outraced the Braves to the end zone.

There was still plenty of fight left in Baldwin Park in the final frame as Rodriguez and Wardell Crutchfield III scored on runs of five and 10-yards respectively.

Sandwiched in the middle of those two scores was another 52 bolt of lightning from the Raider’s Crawford.

Rodriguez’s stellar performance included 14 of 22 for 169-yards a two touchdowns passing and 22 carries for 102-yards and a touchdown on the ground.

After the game Rowland Head Coach Craig Snyder commented on his teams performance. “In the first half the early fumble took the wind out of our sails. Michael (Ball) was trying a little to hard to do everything himself. But hey, we scored 35 points in a half and we feel pretty good about that.”

It doesn’t get any easier for Baldwin Park next week as the play host to the South Hills Huskies. Up next for Rowland is a date with the Cal Condors.