La Cañada football sent to season-ending loss by Monrovia
LA CAÑADA — A great deal needed to go in the La Cañada High football team’s favor for it to earn an automatic postseason berth at the conclusion of the final Friday night of the regular season.
Outside scenarios would be deemed unimportant and irrelevant, however, if the Spartans didn’t win their season finale against visiting Rio Hondo League-staple Monrovia, a team La Cañada had not defeated since 2005.
The Wildcats maintained their superiority, ending the Spartans’ season with a 46-7 win, putting La Cañada in fourth place in the final league standings and preventing first-year coach Ryan Zerbel from petitioning for the division’s one at-large berth with a sub-.500 overall record.
Zerbel, the team’s third coach in as many seasons, focused on the positives despite the disappointing loss, citing a team that overcame injuries and uncertainty at key positions to continue fighting and giving extraordinary effort.
“We fought the injury bug and just couldn’t get over the hump,” said Zerbel, whose team finished 4-6 overall and 2-3 in league. “We’re trying to build a program here. Our numbers aren’t there as it is and to lose four or five starters. ... Granted, I’m not making excuses. I want the next guy to step up and the kids did that.”
Along with injuries, notably Daivon Grayson, who missed the final few games including the season finale, the Spartans shuffled at quarterback with four different starters this season. Tyler Rubendall, a junior, led the offense down the stretch and made great strides, according to his coach, who said Rubendall had problems taking snaps in the offseason, much less reading a defense.
Ryan Brenemen, one of only a handful of seniors on the squad, reached the 1,000-yard mark against Monrovia on an eight-yard touchdown run for La Cañada’s lone score. Brenemen rushed for 11 touchdowns in his final season and 77 yards in 20 carries in his final game.
The Wildcats used a 26-point second quarter to take control of the contest en route to a convincing victory.
Similarly to the previous week’s game with San Marino, La Cañada’s offense was able to march down the field, especially on the opening drive of the game that allowed the Spartans offense to maintain possession for the first 5:58. But as has been the story, finishing a drive proved to be a bigger challenge as a Monrovia sack on Rubendall resulted in a turnover on downs when La Cañada took the snap on the Monrovia 26-yard line.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, scored on all four of their first-half possessions and scored a fifth touchdown thanks to their defense that picked off Tyler Brenemen on a halfback pass and ran it back to the opposite end zone.
La Cañada was in good position to get on the scoreboard prior to halftime, but a fumble dashed those hopes.
The Spartans offense took the field twice in the second half that had a running clock throughout. Ryan Brenemen’s touchdown capped a nine-play drive late in the third quarter.
David Vardanian, who sparked the drive with a 17-yard run, tallied 65 yards in the game and caught two of Rubendall’s five completions
Asaph Zamora and the Monrovia passing game had better success, to the tune of 158 yards through the air. Aubrey Mosley, Malcolm Weston, Jaylyn Newson and Anthony Marquez led a potent running game and accounted for four touchdowns (one apiece) to lead playoff-bound Monrovia.
The Spartans will look to improve with a returning coaching staff.
“I told you guys at the start of the season, we’re trying to establish a brand and even though the results don’t show it, I think we’re starting to build one,” Zerbel said. “Every coach in the league will tell you. Now, if we can stop shooting ourselves in the foot and develop a passing game … we already have a solid rushing attack.”
Zerbel also said he’s looking forward to a full offseason with the team. He was hired shortly before the 2015 season began.
“This is a great group of kids,” he said. “Leaders like Ryan and Charlie Weiss. …We were one game away from second place in the league. You want to be right there in the end.”