Reseda Snaps Sylmar’s Spell, 36-26

It had been three years since Reseda High beat Sylmar, despite the Regents’ dominance in the Pac 8 League. And after nearly three quarters of Friday’s game at Sylmar, the Spartans’ mysterious hold on Reseda remained intact.

Sylmar held a 19-point lead as late as the third period before Reseda suddenly exploded, scoring 29 unanswered points in little more than a quarter to win, 36-26.

After Gerardo Rodriguez kicked a field goal to extend Sylmar’s lead to 26-7 with 1:07 left in the third period, Sam Edwards started Reseda’s resurgence with a 95-yard kickoff return.

The Reseda defense stopped Sylmar on three plays, linebacker Kevin Gravning blocked Shawn Aleshire’s punt, giving Reseda the ball on the 11-yard line. Two plays later, James Swinton scored on a 10-yard sweep to cut the lead to 26-21.

Sylmar’s next possession ended in a turnover when Reseda defensive back Maurice Bell intercepted Rick Negrete’s pass and returned it 16 yards to the Sylmar 29. Ronald Wilkinson scored four plays later on a 13-yard sweep with 5:05 left. Coley Kyman’s pass to David Wilson on the two-point conversion gave Reseda a 29-26 lead.

Linebacker Shawn Peet completed the scoring--and Reseda’s remarkable escape act--returning an interception on a halfback-option pass by Robert Augustus 38 yards for a touchdown.

Reseda, the defending City Section 2-A Division champion, won its sixth game in a row, increasing its record to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in league play.

Sylmar (2-2-1, 1-2) dominated the first half. After Reseda took a 7-0 lead on a four-yard run by Kyman, Sylmar scored 23 unanswered points.

Jerome Casey intercepted a pass from Kyman and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown. Augustus ran in the extra point to put Sylmar ahead in the second quarter, 8-7.

After Reseda failed to move the ball on its next possession, Sylmar took over on its own 25-yard line. Casey took the first handoff on a dive to the right, broke a tackle, spun to the left while breaking another tackle and ran up the sideline for a 75-yard score. Augustus’ extra-point run gave the Spartans a 16-7 lead.

Reseda had the ball three more plays before Kyman fumbled a handoff. Rodriguez, who also plays linebacker, scooped up the loose ball at the 18-yard line and scrambled in for a touchdown. His conversion kick and 37-yard field goal in the third quarter gave Sylmar a seemingly insurmountable 26-7 lead.

Wilkinson, an All-City running back last season, rushed for 119 yards on 23 carries to offset Kyman’s worst performance on the year. The 6-5 junior was 0 of 7 with 2 interceptions and did not attempt a pass in the second half.

Casey finished with 127 yards on nine carries.