Canoga Park Prevails, 23-20

A dentist performed oral surgery on Kenny Durr earlier this week, then Durr went out and performed surgery on the Cleveland High Cavaliers.

Durr scored three touchdowns, and Mike Conover kicked a 17-yard field goal with three seconds left, as Canoga Park defeated Cleveland, 23-20, Friday night at Canoga High.

Durr, the senior transfer from El Camino Real, led a second half Hunter comeback with two electrifying third-quarter touchdowns. He now has six TDs this season.

He nearly scored the game winner, as well, romping 26 yards to the one with 48 seconds to play.

A delay of game penalty set the Hunters back on the six, but three consecutive rushes by Durr put the ball back on the one. Not realizing it was fourth down, Canoga quarterback Tony Cantrell threw the ball out of bounds to stop the clock, meaning the game would have ended in a 20-20 tie.

But the officials ruled that the Cavaliers were offsides on the play, and Canoga got another chance. This time the Hunters set up for the field goal, and Conover drilled it through the uprights as time ran out.

Canoga upped its record to 2-0 with the non-league victory, while Cleveland fell to 1-1.

Cleveland, on the strength of Norman Love’s passing, built a 12-7 halftime lead. Then Durr, who rushed only twice in the first half, took over in the third period.

On the second play of the second half, Durr took a Cantrell swing pass, eluded a tackler and broke free for a 54-yard TD. He put the ball over his head and behind his back en route to the end zone in his typical showman style.

After two delay of game penalties, Conover’s conversion kick from 30 yards was wide, but the Hunters still led, 13-12.

After a Junior Delgado interception put Canoga at their own 29, Conover picked up 24 yards on a counter play, then Durr broke three tackles en route to a 32-yard TD. Conover’s point after put the Hunters up 20-12 with 8:13 left in the third period.

Cantrell, who didn’t play in the first half because he was recovering from the flu, finished with 108 yards on 7 of 9 passes.