Eastern Conference : Claremont Laugher Turns Into a Smiler, 37-22

For a while, it appeared as if Claremont would have an easy time in its bid for a second straight CIF Eastern Conference championship Friday night.

But after building a 23-0 lead over Baseline League rival Damien early in the second quarter, Claremont had to struggle for a 37-22 victory before 8,000 fans at Citrus College of Glendora.

“Coach (Dick) Larson should be complimented for his team coming back the way they did,” Claremont Coach Bob Baiz said. “They could have sat down and died for us after we got out in front, but they didn’t.”

The victory made Claremont’s final record 13-1 and marked the 27th win in the last 28 games for the Wolfpack. Damien finished at 9-5.

Claremont scored three touchdowns in the first quarter--on a one-yard sneak by quarterback Dan McGwire, a 12-yard pass from McGwire to wide receiver Travis Watkins and a one-yard run by running back Dean Lambo.

Placekicker Steve Bayer’s conversion attempt was blocked after the third touchdown, leaving the Wolfpack with a 20-0 lead at the end of the period.

That also snapped Bayer’s CIF record streak of consecutive conversions at 81.

But Bayer, playing after the death of his father Tuesday, added a 37-yard field goal with 7:06 remaining in the second quarter for a 23-0 lead.

Damien, its offense struggling through the first 17 minutes of the first half, responded by driving 90 yards in 10 plays--highlighted by Chris Johnson’s 58-yard run from his 11-yard line--for a touchdown on its next possession. Running back Eric Henley ran the final two yards for the score, which made it 23-7.

After Watkins fumbled the ensuing kickoff at his own 31, Damien closed the deficit to 23-14 with a touchdown four plays later on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Bob Fresques to wide receiver Junior Pro with 1:19 remaining in the half.

Claremont used an 89-yard, 14-play drive to increase its lead to 30-14 in the third quarter.

The final play was an 11-yard touchdown pass from McGwire to wide receiver Mike Dotson.

Damien made it 30-22 when Henley scored on a two-yard touchdown run and reserve quarterback Matt Burroughs connected with Fresques on a two-point conversion pass with 8:45 remaining in the game.

But the Wolfpack, following a pass interception by defensive back Bob Baiz Jr., wrapped up another title with an 18-yard touchdown drive that ended with a two-yard run by Lambo.

Claremont received another outstanding game from its passing combination of McGwire and Watkins, who caught 12 passes for 134 yards. That gave Watkins 103 receptions for 1,695 yards for the season.

McGwire completed 24 of 34 passes for 298 yards in the game, leaving him with 6,554 yards for his career. That is second behind Pat Haden of Bishop Amat on the all-time Southern Section passing yardage list.

Dotson also caught 10 passes for 140 yards and Lambo rushed for 67 yards.