Alemany Is Grounded but Wins, 28-0

With a passing attack that had averaged 164 yards a game in its 3-0 start, Mission Hills Alemany High figured to air it out again Friday night when it visited tiny, but tough, Downey Pius X High.

But it didn’t take Coach Enrique Lopez long to change his game plan after he watched quarterback Sean Casey go 0 for 5 plus one sack in the opening minutes.

Fortunately, he had an option. Lopez turned to senior tailback Dennis Mason, who responded with 93 yards in 23 carries to lead the Indians to a convincing 28-0 win over the previously unbeaten Warriors (3-1).

The necessity for the change was as surprising to Lopez as the loss was frustrating to the partisan Pius X spectators, who came to support a team that is off to its best start since 1980.

“It just developed that way,” Lopez said of the switch in thinking. “We thought we could come in here and throw the ball. But our quarterback (Casey) was getting too much pressure. He couldn’t stay in the pocket, so we decided to let Mason run with the ball. We’re very proud of the way our running game developed (tonight.)”

But Pius X did not give up without a fight. The teams locked in a first-half defensive struggle that was broken only by Alemany’s drive that ended with a three-yard scoring pass from Casey to Scoop Augustis with 2:37 left in the first half.

The 69-yard, 15-play drive came after Pius X running back Andre Pitts fumbled at the Alemany 30 on his first carry of the night.

Travis Bargeman made the score 14-0 on the fourth play of the third quarter with a 78-yard punt return.

Twelve plays and 56 yards after linebacker Larry Muir stopped a Pius X drive on fourth-and-two at the Alemany 44, it became 21-0 when Casey hit Bargeman on a swing pass play good for 18 yards.

Alemany’s final touchdown came with 1:11 left when Pius X quarterback Eddie Nevarez, attempting to pass, was sacked at his three by defensive end David Cassilas and fumbled into the end zone. Dean Cipperley recovered the ball for the score.