Freeway League : Weatherspoons Do It All as La Habra Rolls, 20-0

Two Weatherspoons were too much for Sunny Hills High School Friday, and consequently the Lancers won’t be going to the Central Conference playoffs for the first time in four years.

Chuck Weatherspoon, La Habra’s gifted running back, scored three touchdowns and rushed for 141 yards, and his younger brother, Linton, led a defensive charge that produced seven sacks in the Highlanders’ 20-0 victory in Spaulding Field at Buena Park.

Considered by many to be the best college running back prospect in Orange County since Kerwin Bell was at Edison, Weatherspoon scored on runs of 28, 4 and 20 yards. The senior will undoubtedly be named the Freeway League’s player of the year after leading the Highlanders to a 5-0 league record and 8-2 overall mark.

Linton, a sophomore linebacker and the latest in the line of excellent athletes in the family, had two sacks. He will inherit Chuck’s position next season when La Habra goes for its fourth straight league title.

Sunny Hills (2-3, 4-6) missed the playoffs for the first time since 1981 when the Lancers had to forfeit the league title for using an ineligible player.

The Lancers did a good job of containing Weatherspoon in the first quarter, holding him to 20 yards in 8 carries. La Habra managed only 15 yards and one first down in the first quarter.

But Weatherspoon broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run on a draw play with 9:41 remaining for the only score of the first half. He went untouched through the Sunny Hills defensive line and sped to the end zone.

It was the only touchdown the Highlanders would need as Sunny Hills couldn’t penetrate La Habra’s defense.

“If we could have scored in the first half, it might have been a different story,” said Tim Devaney, Sunny Hills coach. “Defensively, I thought we did a good job.”

Sunny Hills blew two scoring chances in the half. The Lancers had a first down on La Habra’s 18-yard line following Tim Imperiali’s 28-yard punt return. But they were pushed out of field goal range when quarterback David Chisum was sacked for a 12-yard loss by Highlander tackle Brian Yount.

Sunny Hills had another opportunity following a 14-yard punt by La Habra. The Lancers drove to La Habra’s 18-yard line for a first down, but another quarterback sack ended the threat. This time, cornerback Gary James blitzed to drop Chisum for an eight-yard loss.

La Habra’s defense limited the Lancers to 28 yards and two first downs in the first half, and Chisum failed to complete a pass in three attempts. La Habra totaled 118 yards offensively, with Weatherspoon gaining 71 in 13 carries.

“We weren’t super intense tonight and they had more to play for,” said Bob Rau, La Habra coach. “Sometimes, it takes four quarters to get going.”

In other action:

Troy 35, Buena Park 0--The Warriors scored 28 second-half points en route to victory over the Coyotes in Fullerton District Stadium.

Senior fullback Torrey Shinault led Troy’s (3-2, 6-4) ground game with 112 yards in 16 carries. Shinault also scored Troy’s first touchdown with a two-yard run in the second quarter. The run capped an eight-play drive that started on the Coyote 49-yard line.