La Cañada football runs way to season-opening win over Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE — It was evident from the early going of Friday evening’s nonleague football game that it would be La Cañada High’s running game against the passing game of Hawthorne.

The first quarter set the tone for the offensive matchup, as the Spartans attempted just one pass in the opening stanza and the Cougars ran the ball a single time.

It would be La Cañada’s Wildcat offense that would prevail in the zero week game, as Hawthorne couldn’t contain the deceptive running attack that paced the Spartans to a 35-21 victory on the road.

It was the fifth straight win to start the season for the Spartans.

“I think our offense is pretty hard to defend, because the other team doesn’t know who’s getting the ball and we change it up so much and really every play is different,” said La Cañada junior Vince Dioguardi, who had 22 carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns. “The backs are always different and I know that can confuse some defenses.

“I think for the most part it worked pretty well today. We can run around people or we can run it right down their throats.”

A host of backs saw their share of action for La Cañada, which finished 4-6 last season and didn’t qualify for the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Senior Brandon Sharman carried the ball nine times for 201 yards and senior Tyler Breneman had 15 carries for 173 yards and a touchdown.

“We have many guys that can carry the ball, but that offense wouldn’t work without the boys up front,” Spartans second-year Coach Ryan Zerbel said. “The reason so many guys can carry the ball for yardage is because that offensive line is opening holes all over the place. I’m really proud of these guys, that’s a good group right there.”

Although it was the La Cañada offense that took center stage, it was the play of its defense that preserved the win against Hawthorne (3-7 last season) late in the fourth quarter.

With under five minutes left in the game and the Spartans clinging to a one-touchdown lead, 28-21, the Cougars were in Spartans territory at the 41-yard line and faced a fourth-and-15 situation. But the threat was quelled when senior David Vardanian sacked Cougars quarterback Andrew Kalinowski and took possession on downs.

La Cañada took possession and drove down the field, finishing with a four-yard run by Dioguardi with 2:28 left to give the Spartans some breathing room, 35-21.

“There are a lot of things that we need to clean up, but the goal was to be 1-0 and that’s where we’re at,” Zerbel said. “Offensively, I thought that we played pretty well and, even defensively, we stepped up when we needed to.

“I’m actually happy that the game came down to it in the end and it was tight in that fourth, because we can learn from that.”

The Spartans jumped out to an early 13-0 lead in the first quarter after scoring on their first two possessions to start the game. Breneman hit paydirt with 10:47 left on a six-yard scoring run and junior John Chung scored on a three-yard dive up the middle at the 7:55 mark.

After Hawthorne cut the lead to 13-7, Breneman threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior Theo Chamberlain with 1:26 left in the first to give La Cañada a 20-7 advantage.

The Cougars scored the only touchdown of the second quarter and the Spartans went into halftime with a 20-14 lead.

Hawthorne opened the second half with a 16-play drive, but it stalled at the La Cañada 15. Following a scoreless third, the Spartans scored with 10:20 remaining on a four-yard run from Dioguardi to make it 28-14.

The Cougars then tallied a touchdown with 7:57 remaining to get to within one touchdown, 28-21.

La Cañada had problems containing Kalinowski, who completed 19 of 42 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

The Spartans passed the ball just six times, completing three for 38 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Hawthorne ran the ball seven times for minus-seven yards and one touchdown.

On the sideline for La Cañada was running back Drake Beasley. The senior transfer from Loyola is still awaiting word about his eligibility after his former school challenged his transfer.