Crescenta Valley football passes first test before school starts
GLENDALE — With school not in session for another week, Crescenta Valley High quarterback High Cole Doyle could spend his time thinking about the Falcons’ season-opening game Friday night instead of his studies.
Eager to put up some more big numbers for talented Crescenta Valley, Doyle got started on the right note.
Doyle rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another to propel host Crescenta Valley to a 28-7 nonleague win against Redondo Union at Glendale High’s Moyse Field.
“I think it definitely helped me and my teammates that we don’t start school yet,” said Doyle, a reigning Al-Area honoree who rushed for 148 yards in 21 carries and completed 12 of 20 passes for 120 yards. “It allowed me to be able to think just about the game and trying to get us off to a good start.
“We did a lot of great things tonight against a very good team and we’ll look to go from there in the next game.”
Crescenta Valley, which finished third in the Pacific League and qualified for the CIF playoffs last season, led the entire game. The teams were scoreless after the first quarter before the Falcons went to work.
Crescenta Valley took a 7-0 lead on a three-yard run by Doyle with seven minutes left in the second quarter. It would be the lone score of the opening half.
With a gentle breeze beginning to blow early in the second half, the Falcons scored a pair of touchdown to take a 21-0 lead.
Crescenta Valley used a trick play against Redondo Union (0-1) to take a 14-0 lead. Set to try a 30-yard field-goal, Doyle took a snap from center and promptly tossed a touchdown pass to an uncovered Sebastian DeLeon with 9:05 left in the third quarter.
The Falcons made it 21-0 on an 18-yard run by Doyle with 4:35 to go in the third.
The Sea Hawks cut the deficit to 21-7 on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Kaden Martin to Drew Wilson with 42 second left in the third quarter on fourth down.
Crescenta Valley closed out the scoring with 8:48 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 24-yard pass from Colby Rees to David Baek.
“I thought we did a lot of good things out there and that’s against a very good team,” Crescenta Valley coach Paul Schilling said. “We have a bit of a younger team and I thought we responded well in a lot of situations.
“It’s a zero-week game and you tend to be a little bit nervous. Cole was a beast out there and you know what you are going to get from him.”
Martin completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown.
Rees recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchback with 1:05 to go in the first quarter.
Crescenta Valley will next participate in a nonleague road contest against Santa Fe at 7 p.m. Friday at Pioneer High in Whittier.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
