Crescenta Valley, Glendale football set for next ‘Battle for the Gong’
The following are previews of the area’s upcoming high school football games this week.
With another “Battle for the Gong” contest on deck between Crescenta Valley and Glendale, the Falcons and Nitros come into the Pacific League matchup brimming with confidence.
Crescenta Valley (5-0, 2-0 in league) is ranked fifth in the latest CIF Southern Section Southeast Division poll following a 24-10 league road win against Burbank on Friday. Glendale (2-3, 1-1) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 28-14 league road victory against Arcadia on Friday to knock off the Apaches for the first time since 1991.
Crescenta Valley and Glendale will meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Moyse Field in a key league contest for possession of the “Gong,” awarded to the winner.
The Falcons have been aided lately by their defensive unit, which held Burbank in check. Crescenta Valley received big efforts from Colin Caver and Davo Hakobyan, both of whom finished with seven tackles. Matt Erickson, Tyler Hill and Ryan Cancelosi added six apiece.
Crescenta Valley Coach Paul Schilling said it’s the defense that’s starting to take shape of late for the Falcons.
“We had a good defensive unit last year, but we are really good this year,” said Schilling, whose team is yielding 14 points per game. “The guys who are back now have more experience and they’ve made a difference.
“We know we have another big test with Glendale, which beat Arcadia and has some confidence now. Glendale likes to keep moving the ball and they should feel good about themselves.”
Crescenta Valley senior quarterback Brian Gadsby has completed 101 of 151 passes for 1,432 yards and 14 touchdowns. Gadsby didn’t throw a touchdown against Burbank, marking the first time he hasn’t accomplished the feat in five contests.
Glendale snapped out of its offensive funk with a fine effort on both sides of the ball against Arcadia. The Nitros entered the Arcadia game having scored only seven points in their previous three games. Things changed in a big way for the Nitros, who registered 290 yards of offense to turn aside Arcadia.
“I liked the way we’ve begun to play the last couple of games,” Glendale Coach John Tuttle said. “We want to try to keep that going against a very good team.
“We know we’ll have our hands full because CV plays well on both sides of the ball.”
Crescenta Valley owns a 9-1 record against Glendale since the 2004 season. However, the teams have split the last two meetings. Crescenta Valley picked up a 27-7 win last season and Glendale earned a 20-17 victory in 2012.
Burroughs vs. Hoover at Glendale High’s Moyse Field, 7 p.m. Thursday: It’s been a rough start for the Tornadoes during the first two Pacific League games. Hoover (1-4, 0-2 in league) hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown in league defeats against Arcadia and Pasadena. Hoover committed four turnovers and fell, 47-0, to visiting Pasadena on Friday.
Any kind of turnaround on offense would be welcomed by Hoover, which has been shut out twice in its last three games. So would a league victory. The Tornadoes have dropped 12 league matchups in a row.
Against Pasadena, Hoover running backs Davit Nersisyan rushed for 74 yards in 17 carries and Elijah Augustine had 60 yards on 16 carries.
Unfortunately for the Tornadoes, they are 0-8 against the Indians since Burroughs joined the Pacific League in 2006. Burroughs notched a 69-0 home win last season.
Burroughs (2-3, 0-2) yielded 35 unanswered points en route to a 42-14 league defeat against Muir on Friday. Indians running back Chance Bell collected 128 yards rushing in 25 carries against Muir. On the season, Bell has rushed for 542 yards in 90 carries and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Erick Hernandez has caught 17 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns for Burroughs.
St. Francis at Harvard-Westlake, 7 p.m. Friday: After decades of competing in the Mission League, St. Francis (5-0) will begin a new chapter in the program’s history by shifting to the new Angelus League. The Golden Knights will do as the top-ranked team in the latest CIF Southern Section Southeast Division poll. Joining St. Francis in the Angelus League from the Mission League are Harvard-Westlake, St. Paul and Cathedral.
St. Francis wrapped up nonleague competition Oct. 2 with a lopsided 45-7 home win against Calabasas. Quarterback Jeremiah Martin and running back Areg Nazarian rushed for three and two touchdowns, respectively. On defense, Ross Niederhaus and Matt Bayle collected nine and eight tackles, respectively. Bayle leads the Golden Knights in tackles with 33.
Harvard-Westlake (4-1) closed out nonleague action Oct. 2 with a 37-21 intersectional road victory against Palisades.
The Golden Knights topped the Wolverines, 44-14, at home last season. St. Francis is 5-1 in its last six meetings against Harvard-Westlake, ranked 10th in the division.
Rio Hondo Prep vs. Flintridge Prep at Occidental College, 7 p.m. Friday: Flintridge Prep (4-2) will kick off Prep League play meeting defending-league champion Rio Hondo Prep (2-3).
Flintridge Prep enters league action having won three games in a row, including a 44-14 nonleague road victory against Campbell Hall on Oct. 2. Against Campbell Hall, Flintridge Prep quarterback Andrew Tsangeos completed seven of 12 passes for 111 yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver Riley Jones caught a pair of touchdowns. Flintridge Prep running back Derek Okuno finished with 122 yards rushing in 21 carries and one touchdown.
The Kares had a bye last week and will face an area opponent for the second straight game. Rio Hondo Prep suffered a 26-19 nonleague road defeat against La Cañada on Sept. 25.
Rio Hondo Prep has enjoyed plenty of success against Flintridge Prep the past 10 seasons. In that span, the Kares are 10-0, including a 63-22 home win last season.
