Peery, Canyon Bulldoze Antelope Valley

Once again Canyon High lined up against a Golden League opponent and once again the Cowboys forcibly removed the team from their path toward the league championship.

Canyon (7-2, 4-0) dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage against Antelope Valley, rolling up 294 yards rushing to the Antelopes’ 22, and defeated Antelope Valley, 21-14.

It was Canyon’s sixth win in a row and 28th consecutive win at Canyon.

With the loss on the slick field at Canyon, Antelope Valley’s chances of repeating as league champion appear to be slip-sliding away. Antelope Valley (6-3, 2-2), beaten last week by Palmdale, 14-12, dropped to third place. Canyon will play for the league title next week at Palmdale.

“I knew that they had the potential to be incredibly explosive,” Canyon Coach Harry Welch said. “They had played Loyola and Palmdale and they should have beaten them.”

Antelope Valley had not faced a running back like Chris Peery, whose bludgeoning legs appear to be getting stronger--and faster--with each game. The sophomore tailback rushed for a school-record 235 yards in 36 carries and scored three touchdowns.

“Did I really have that much?” Peery said. “It seemed like it would take me a million carries to get 100 yards.”

Peery ran for touchdowns of 5, 59 and 14 yards as Canyon held a 21-0 lead late in the third quarter.

But just as Canyon battled back from the same deficit against Antelope Valley last year, only to lose, 21-20, and have its 46-game winning streak snapped, Antelope Valley staged a comeback.

Quarterback Ron Whipple, who completed 14 of 24 passes for 153 yards, drove the Antelopes 48 yards for their first score late in the third quarter. Whipple hit wide receiver Shon Grimes with consecutive passes of 11 and 32 yards for first downs on the drive. Fullback Tommie Smith carried the final yard on fourth down.

When Antelope Valley stopped Peery on fourth down at the Cowboys’ 44 moments later, Whipple again was given an opportunity.

“I was looking at the scoreboard and saying ‘Uh-oh,’ ” Welch said. “ ‘It’s gonna be 21-20 or 22-21.’ ”

Whipple hit Smith with a four-yard touchdown pass with 7:02 to play, but it was all the senior quarterback could muster.

On Antelope Valley’s next possession, Whipple’s pass was intercepted by linebacker Jeff Barbosa. Whipple had three interceptions.

Canyon’s effort pleased Welch immensely. “I’ve never had a group of ballplayers come together like this one,” he said.

Canyon drove 78 yards in 15 plays on its first possession of the game. Peery, however, fumbled at the two to end the drive.

“I’m surprised I didn’t fumble six more times,” said Peery, who fumbled twice. “It was wet out there. I was wiping my hands off all night long.”

Canyon took a 7-0 lead when Peery ran untouched into the end zone from five yards out midway through the second quarter.

Peery scored again with three minutes to play in the half. On a fourth-and-two play at the Canyon 41, Peery took a pitch and slanted around right end. Once he hit the sideline it was clear sailing for the 6-1, 200-pound running back as he raced 59 yards for the score.

Antelope Valley drove into Canyon territory twice in the first half but came away empty. Grimes returned the opening kickoff 61 yards to the Cowboys’ 33, but the Antelopes couldn’t make a first down. Chris Yergensen missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt when he slipped trying to kick.

In the final minute of the first half, Whipple moved the Antelopes with completions to Grimes and Smith until Jason Stanley intercepted a Whipple pass intended for Grimes at the Canyon two.

A Whipple pass was earlier picked off by linebacker Kevin Doss and the quarterback also fumbled while attempting a handoff to Smith. Linebacker John Bietsch recovered at Antelope Valley’s 36, and seven plays later, Peery scored for the first time.

C--Peery 5 run (Gahry kick)

C--Peery 59 run (Gahry kick)

C--Peery 14 run (Gahry kick)

A--Smith 1 run (Yergensen kick)

A--Smith 4 pass from Whipple (Yergensen kick)