Harvard Bobbles Away Title to Leuzinger, 39-17

5Leuzinger High, taking advantage of several Harvard mistakes, defeated the Saracens, 39-17, to win the Southern Section’s Desert-Mountain Conference football championship.

The Olympians (12-1-1) held a slim 7-3 lead at halftime, but quickly turned Harvard miscues into their first Southern Section football championship Saturday night before a crowd of 2,500 at Valley College.

On the first play of the second half, Harvard’s Alex Huh fumbled at his 31-yard line and Leuzinger’s Jose Martinez recovered.

Sidney Blackwood then rambled up the middle for 22 yards, and two plays later Blackwood scored from five yards out.

Julian Catano’s extra point made it 14-3 Leuzinger with 10:08 left in the third quarter.

The score remained at 14-3 until 58 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Harvard quarterback Cory Thabit was intercepted by Mike Reddington, who returned the ball 13 yards to the Saracens’ 29.

On the next play, Ron Phyfer scored on a dash up the middle. The extra point made it 21-3.

After Catano kicked a 27-yard field goal with 5:25 left in the game to give the Olympians a 24-3 lead, Harvard (8-6) fell apart.

On the kickoff after Catano’s field goal, Harvard’s Merritt Robinson fumbled. Leuzinger’s Carlton Erwin scooped up the ball at the 27 and raced for another Olympian touchdown.

Sean Smith’s run for two points gave Leuzinger a 32-3 lead.

Robinson did atone somewhat for his fumble, catching a seven-yard scoring pass from Thabit with 3:37 left.

But the ensuing onsides kick attempt by the Saracens resulted in a touchdown for Leuzinger.

The Olympians’ Al Parham picked the ball up after one bounce and ran 41 yards through a stunned Harvard kickoff team to make it 38-9.

Catano’s kick gave Leuzinger its final point with 3:30 left in the game.

The game’s final score came on a 58-yard pass from Thabit to Robinson with 2:57 left.

Andy Bell’s run for two points made it 39-17.

Harvard had scored on its first possession as Dom Sandifer booted a 52-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the first quarter.

Leuzinger, which beat Harvard, 22-10, in a regular season game, came right back to take the lead with one second remaining in the first quarter.

Reddington scampered in from six yards out and Catano added the kick for a 7-3 Leuzinger lead.

The Olympians went 74 yards in six plays, the key being a 47-yard pass from Reddington to Brandy Harris down to the Harvard 25.

That score held until Harvard’s self-destruction in the second half.

“That fumble by Huh was the key play of the game for us,” Leuzinger Coach Steve Carnes said. “It really helped a lot.”

For Carnes, it was a special moment. He was a member of 1966 championship team.

“I feel great right now,” he said. “It’s been 19 years since I’ve been a part of this.

“This is a twice-in-a-lifetime deal and I’ll take it.”

Harvard had its five-game winning streak stopped with the loss. The Saracens had started the season losing four of their first five games.

They then won seven of eight coming into the title game, their only loss being the one to Leuzinger in the Pioneer League.

The two teams had shared the league title, but Saturday night there was no sharing of the conference title.

Said Smith, the Olympians’ star flanker: “We came out and executed. We wanted it a little more than they did.”