Hart Takes Schurr Route to Another League Title

A doctor wasn’t needed to diagnose what was ailing the Schurr High football team Thursday night at College of the Canyons.

It was obvious that the Spartans were suffering from a severe Hart attack.

Hart, on the strength of three Darren Renfro touchdown passes, eliminated Schurr from playoff contention with a 34-7 Foothill League victory.

The win allowed Hart (9-1, 5-0 in league play) to clinch the Foothill title outright--the Indians’ fourth consecutive league championship. In four years at Hart, Coach Rick Scott is 20-0 in league games.

Despite the lopsided score, it was not a particularly impressive win for the Valley-area’s top-ranked team, which managed just 36 yards rushing and 250 yards total offense.

“We were flat. It’s been real hard for this group to get excited,” Scott said. “I think they know that every one from now on counts.”

Renfro, the Southern Section’s leading passer, completed 13 of 22 passes for 157 yards. His four-yard scoring pass to Darrin Kellaris with 11:07 to play gave Hart a 27-7 lead and put the game out of reach.

The Hart defense limited Schurr (3-7, 2-3) to 69 yards passing and 118 on the ground--117 by tailback Freddie Burgueno in 21 carries.

The Indian defense was responsible for two of Hart’s three first-half touchdowns.

Elliot Graeber intercepted Jim LeNoue’s first pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. Jim Harper’s conversion kick put Hart ahead, 7-0, with 7:26 left in the first period.

It was Renfro’s turn next as he connected on a short pass to tight end Brian Allen, who broke a tackle and went 42 yards for Hart’s second touchdown. The conversion attempt failed when holder Joe DeSchryver’s pass fell incomplete.

The drive was kept alive by Harper’s 10-yard pass to Graeber on a fake punt on fourth and four from the Indian 33-yard line.

Allen had 3 receptions for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Schurr marched 55 yards on seven plays to get on the scoreboard late in the second period. Tim Woodfield scored on a six-yard option pass from Burgueno, and Brian Murray added the extra point to trim Hart’s lead to 13-7 with 4:35 left in the half.

Jeff Trogan’s interception gave Hart the ball at the Spartans’ 32 with under two minutes to play in the half, and Renfro completed two passes to Craig Whitten, the second going five yards for a touchdown with 1:06 left in the half. Renfro threw to Whitten again for a two-point conversion, which gave Hart a 21-7 halftime lead.

Hart nearly scored again when Whitten’s fair catch of a punt gave Harper a free kick at the Schurr 45 with 12 seconds to go in the half. The 55-yard field-goal attempt was long enough but missed wide left.

Renfro completed 8 of 14 passes for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half as the Indians outgained Schurr, 135-93.

Hart scored its final points on a 47-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Chad Fotheringham to Allen with 2:14 left.

DeSchryver, a wide receiver, had five catches for 59 yards. Whitten added 4 receptions for 42 yards and rushed for 24 yards in 8 carries. Whitten is the leading receiver in the Valley area with 46 catches.

Renfro, a left-handed senior, has completed 176 of 265 passes for 2,248 yards and 21 touchdowns.

H--Graeber 32 interception return (Harper kick)

H--Allen 42 pass from Renfro (pass failed)

S--Woodfield 6 pass from F. Burgueno (Murray kick)

H--Whitten 5 pass from Renfro (Whitten pass from Renfro)

H--Kellaris 4 pass from Renfro (kick failed)

H--Allen 47 pass from Fotheringham (Harper kick)