La Cañada football takes small steps forward in Temple City loss
LA CAÑADA — It’ll go down as another defeat in the loss column, but the La Cañada High football team had positive vibes after Friday’s night game.
The Spartans lost 33-13 to Temple City in their final home and league contests of the season, but senior night had the team playing its most spirited and confident.
Lowest margin of defeat, lowest number of points allowed and highest scoring output in five games were achievements for a young, rebuilding team.
“Baby steps,” first-year Spartans Coach Jason Sarceda said. “Growing pains. They’re getting through it. It’s not the outcome we want, but I’m excited they’re finishing up the best they can.”
La Cañada (0-9) will finish the year winless in Rio Hondo League play at 0-4. It will look to win the first game of the season in the finale Thursday at Crean Lutheran.
Against the Rams on Friday night, the Spartans compiled 252 yards of total offense, as they were able to put together promising drives.
Quarterback Eric Helbing led the offense, completing 15 of 29 passes for 261 yards and rushing for 60 yards on four carries, including La Cañada’s first touchdown of the game.
“Definitely improved,” Helbing said about the team. “We had a good week of practice. We’ve been overestimating our opponents and this week we didn’t.
“We didn’t want to give up on the season just yet.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Temple City (5-3, 2-1) struck first on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Justin Bowman to Daniel Centeno to give the Rams a 7-0 lead with 9:35 on the second quarter clock. Bowman and Centeno caused problems for the La Cañada defense, hooking up for seven completions and 135 yards.
Bowman was a dual threat with 202 passing yards and 101 rushing.
The senior’s second touchdown pass of the night went to Isaiah Cassillas for 41 yards.
Helbing answered on the next possession with 15-yard sprint, capping a six-play, 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 36-yard pass to Tobias Humphrey (six catches for 118 yards).
Temple City responded with a touchdown less than a minute before halftime on another connection from Bowman to Centeno, this time for 51 yards to put the Rams back up by two possessions, 19-7.
The opening drive of the second half saw the Rams take up 4:40 off the clock, finishing it with a one-yard touchdown run from Centeno to increase the cushion to 26-7.
To start the fourth quarter, Temple City maintained possession for exactly one half of the 12-minute frame, as their first drive went until the 6:00 mark, only to turn it over on downs.
La Cañada wouldn’t score until 17 seconds were left in the game. Helbing’s completion to Carruthers went 41 yards to the Temple City 15. Carruthers fumbled the ball but luckily Humphrey was there to pick it up and run it the rest of the way for a touchdown.
“Besides injuries, we haven’t lost one guy to folding mentally,” Sarceda said. “Resiliency and adversity we’ve been fighting through.”
In a bit of an oddity, due to Blair dropping out of league, the Spartans will travel to Irvine on Thursday to take on Crean Lutheran.
“Goal is to keep the team in tact,” Sarceda said when asked about the season finale. “Spirits were high tonight so we’re going to try to keep it going. We’re excited to play our last game.”