MidValleySports.Com

By. Alex A. Gonzalez

Baldwin Park – The La Serna Lancers wanted to start the 2026 campaign off with a bang Friday night when they traveled to Baldwin Park, and by only needing the first 24 minutes of play to start the season, they did so thanks to quarterback Grady Long, who led an offensive onslaught as the Lancers made it look easy against the Braves 55-7. 

Long tossed three touchdowns while only completing four passes on eight attempts for 151 yards. The Senior also added 26 rushing yards to the Lancers’ ground attack that tallied 165 yards between six different ball carriers. 

“We’ve worked hard for the last couple of months. We’ve just been grinding; all the hard days in the summer paid off,” said Long postgame. “You know, the line stepped up, giving me time, and receivers made plays.” 

Of the seven first-half possessions that La Serna had, the team capped every drive with a touchdown. With just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter, the team quickly jumped to a 21-0 advantage. 

It first started within the first three minutes of the contest when Jordan Bonilla took the handoff and sprinted for a 57-yard gain that set up the Lancers on the 30-yardline. Then, after a 21-yard quarterback keeper by Long, the senior quarterback turned around and handed it back to Bonilla, who took it to the house from 10 yards out. 

Then, after the Braves failed to convert on 4th down and short, La Serna added two more scores that took less than three minutes off the game clock. Long threw his first touchdown of the night when he dropped back and threw a laser to Landon Armenta, who took it 70 yards for the score. 

The Lancers then capitalized on Baldwin Park’s miscues on the ensuing kickoff when they recovered the onside kick that set them up on the Braves’ 38-yard line with 5:51 in the first quarter. Five plays later, Daniel Moreno joined the scoring party when he took the handoff and punched in his first touchdown of the season from 5 yards out. 

The special teams’ struggles continued for the Braves on their next possession as they failed to block the rush and allowed La Serna to block the kick at their own 11-yardline. Two plays later, La Serna made it a 28-0 game with 2:01 remaining when Mason Madrid reached the end zone. 

Fortunately for Baldwin Park, the offense was able to respond on the following drive when Donovan St. Cyr faked his defender, hauled in Thiago Colores’ pass, and darted for the end zone from 63 yards out.

However, the touchdown was the only opportunity the Braves had to score, as the Lancers’ defense did not allow the team to get past midfield.

While the defense held the Braves’ offense, who averaged 32 points a season ago, to its lowest point total in two seasons, the Lancers rattled off three more touchdown drives before the intermission. 

Long tossed two more touchdown passes in the half, with one going to Armenta for 55 yards, and to Kenai Summage, who outran the defense, upping the score to 42-7 at the 8:57 mark of the second quarter. 

The miscues continued for BP as their special teams could not handle the snap, which led to La Serna taking over on the Braves’ 20. Madrid needed 13 yards to reach the end zone, making the score 49-7 before the break.   

After the break, both teams agreed on a running clock for the second half. 

La Serna was able to add one more rushing score in the final seconds of the contest, with backup running back Matthew Rodriguez making the final score 55-7. 

With the win, La Serna will try to make it back-to-back wins next Friday when they host Schurr. Baldwin Park will look to bounce back next Friday when they host Rowland.