Hoover football can’t withstand Muir onslaught
PASADENA — When Hoover High has matched up in football with Muir of Pasadena in the last decade-plus, the result has been victories for the Mustangs and a struggle for the Tornadoes to put points on the board.
Hoover did avoid a shutout, but after a strong start the Tornadoes unraveled the rest of the way, losing, 67-7, to host Muir Friday night in Pacific League action.
“We played really good football the first quarter and a half,” said Hoover coach Terrance Jones, whose squad made five tackles for loss in that span. “We keep coming up short … We have some good pieces, we just need some who want to finish the game.”
Hoover (1-4, 0-2 in league) just could not contain the big-play ability of Muir (4-1, 1-1). The Mustangs scored 10 touchdowns and eight of them covered at least 24 yards, with three over 50 yards.
After Hoover’s opening drive ended with a punt after eight plays, Muir marched 67 yards for the first points of the contest with 7:35 left in the first. The final play was a 24-yard gallop by Mustangs Jahlique Stephens going left. It was the only score of the first quarter, which ended, 7-0.
Muir extended the advantage in the second, scoring 13 points in a span of 1:15. First it was a one-play drive that saw quarterback Brian Love throw a bomb deep down the left sideline that was wrangled in by Aryonis Harrison. The ensuing Hoover possession was ended when Caleb Bullock intercepted a pass from Mathis Richards and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown.
Entering the game, since 2005 Muir has won all 13 games and in 11 the Tornadoes were shut out. This season, there would be no shutout with an assist to the Mustangs. A shotgun snap from Muir sailed over the quarterback’s head and bounced backward and finally covered by Hoover’s Freddy Salguero. Hoover cashed in one play later when Jaiden Forster took a direct snap and and ran left for a seven-yard touchdown.
Tornados Guillermo Corrales came up with an interception in the ensuing possession. Once again a bad snap found the turf, but this time it was scooped up and heaved downfield for Corrales to make the play. Corrales also had three catches for 36 yards.
“Corrales is great. He doesn’t leave the field,” Jones said. “You can’t discount the things he does on offense, defense and special teams.”
Muir struck twice more in the final three minutes. Twice more Hoover was burnt by long bombs down the sideline, the first down the left for 31 yards and the next covering 44 yards also down the left. At half the scoreboard read, 33-7.
If there was any doubt coming out of halftime the hosts quickly put it to rest. On the second play of the third quarter Stephans ran the ball in from 26 yards out, shedding multiple Tornado defenders along the way. It was the first touchdown in a run of five that accounted for all five Muir possessions in the second half.
Richards threw his second interception of the night, this one to Asa Robertson. Muir turned that into points soon after on another long bomb, this one from Amaris Harrison over the middle to Caleb Snowden, covering 66 yards. It was Harrison’s only pass attempt of the night. Snowden led all receivers with five catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
On the next Muir possession, the Mustangs struck quickly with a one-play drive. Tyron Clark ran it in from 49 yards away and after that the officials utilized a running clock.
This did not stop the onslaught, as Tyquise Solomon scored on a quarterback sneak on fourth down that turned into a 53-yard rushing touchdown. Audante Bailey scored the final touchdown on an 11-yard run.
Richards finished 14 of 35 for 107 yards and the two interceptions. Including sacks, Hoover had minus-51 yards rushing. The Tornadoes were also plagued by dropped passes.
“We can’t question the quarterback; someone has got to catch the ball,” Jones said.