Column: La Cañada says Salesian player used heat rub on its player’s face

Athletic Director Kristina Kalb of La Cañada said Friday her school has received no apology from Los Angeles Salesian and is still awaiting a response to an incident last week in which a La Cañada football player had a heat rub substance similar to IcyHot placed on his face while making a tackle against Salesian.

“The principals are still in conversations,” Kalb said.

Salesian Athletic Director Tommy Loera said the school has submitted information to the Southern Section and will handle the matter “internally.” Salesian football Coach Angelo Jackson has not returned calls seeking comment. Salesian is 3-0 and plays Los Angeles Loyola (3-0) on Thursday night at home.

In the third quarter of last week’s 27-0 Salesian victory, La Cañada linebacker Angel Salazar was involved in a tackle. According to La Cañada Coach Ryan Zerbel, video shows a Salesian player “went over to the pile and it shows him bend over and stick his hand under his facemask.”

Salazar went to the referee and then to his own sideline pointing to his face. Zerbel said a sports cream similar to IcyHot was found on Salazar’s face. The substance smelled and had a burning sensation, Zerbel said. The game was briefly stopped but no players were ejected and no penalties were called.

Salazar said, “It was just a cheap shot by the other team. I didn’t really know what was going on until the kid put his hand and rubbed IcyHot in my eyes.”

Kalb said La Cañada filed a formal complaint with the Southern Section about “how the incident was handled on site. The refs did not investigate. I had a player who had been injured and harmed.”

Zerbel said Salazar later went to be examined by a doctor. He played on Friday in La Cañada’s 22-9 win over Glendale.

“We consider it to be very serious,” Kalb said of the incident.

Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons, in an email, said, “As no ejection of any participants took place, there are no current bylaws that provide the section with any authority to intercede in this matter. The two schools involved are working cooperatively to come to a mutually agreeable resolution.”

Monarchs star

They’re getting excited at Santa Ana Mater Dei, where freshman quarterback J.T. Daniels completed 17 of 25 passes for 290 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-7 win over La Mirada. He’s 25 of 37 passing in two games for the unbeaten Monarchs (3-0).

Surprising final

Unheralded Lawndale pulled off the upset of the week, rallying from a 19-7 halftime deficit to defeat Encino Crespi, 35-19.

Leading the surge on offense was senior quarterback Chris Murray, who completed eight of 10 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown and ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also a basketball player.

“He’s special,” first-year Coach Travis Clark said.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter: LATSondheimer

Times correspondent Andrew Campa contributed to this report.