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Granada Hills Beats San Fernando, 10-3

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Times Staff Writer

Granada Hills quarterback Jeremy Leach went into Friday night’s game against San Fernando ranked No. 5 among quarterbacks in the City Section.

Leach’s powerful right arm figured to play an important role in the Valley 4-A League game at Granada Hills. But Leach, who had thrown for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns going into the contest, was humbled by a San Fernando defense that limited the 6-2, 200-pound junior to just 4 completions in 17 attempts for 28 yards.

Leach still played a prominent role in the outcome of the game though, with a four-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run that sealed a 10-3 win for Granada Hills (7-0-1, 2-0-1).

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“Nothing was working the way it usually does,” Leach said. “I was happy I was able to carry the ball in for the touchdown. When the play came in from the sidelines, it was kind of fuzzy.”

Both teams were having a difficult time focusing on the end zone because of some extraordinary defense on both sides.

San Fernando (2-6, 1-2) was able to stay in the game largely because of its defense, which blocked a punt, a field goal and intercepted Leach once. The Tigers held Granada Hills running back Khalid Ali--who came into the game averaging 7.5 yards a carry--to just 25 yards in the first half.

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But Ali provided the big runs in the second half and set up the winning touchdown after the Granada Hills defense stopped San Fernando on a fourth-and-one situation on the Granada Hills 30.

The game was tied, 3-3, when the Highlanders, The Times’ fifth-ranked team in the Valley, took possession and began the game-winning drive.

Ali ran 26 yards on a draw play. Two plays later he carried for 17 yards on another draw that got the Highlanders to the San Fernando 15. Four plays later, Leach faked a handoff up the middle to Jamaal Farmer and ran around right end for the touchdown.

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“The draw is always a big play for me,” said Ali, who finished with 125 yards on 17 carries. “Those are the kinds of plays I’ve gone over a thousand times in my mind. The kind I used to practice when I was kid jumping over the couch at home.”

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