Crescenta Valley Lacks Offensive Punch, 13-3

For all of 10 seconds at the start of Thursday night’s nonleague football game against Los Altos High, Crescenta Valley looked like an explosive offensive force.

Wide receiver Ryan Kadletz emerged from the sidelines just before the first play from scrimmage and raced untouched 76 yards with an apparent touchdown reception.

But even trick plays can’t wake up the Falcons. The score was nullified when Kadletz was ruled offside, and Crescenta Valley managed only one sustained drive in a 13-3 loss to equally unspectacular Los Altos.

“It takes a little while for the whole offense to work,” Crescenta Valley Coach Jim Beckenhauer said. “We just kind of went sour on offense.”

Kind of? Crescenta Valley managed only 78 yards in total offense and had another first-quarter touchdown nullified by a holding penalty.

Although Kadletz’s touchdown would not have won the game had it counted, at least it would have nearly doubled Crescenta Valley’s yardage.

“That’s the second week in a row the defense played really well and the offense didn’t,” Beckenhauer said.

The defense almost won the game for Crescenta Valley. After Los Altos scored on its first possession, Crescenta Valley limited the Conquerors to 77 total yards--including 23 passing.

Trailing, 7-3, at the start of the third quarter, Los Altos quarterback Steve Russell threw three consecutive passes that bounced out of the hands of Crescenta Valley players.

“They didn’t move the ball well on us at all,” Beckenhauer said. “And the interceptions could have turned things around.”

Instead, Los Altos used its next possession to put the game away. The Conquerors consumed nearly four minutes of the fourth quarter on a 13-play, 52-yard drive that was aided by two Crescenta Valley penalties.

Los Altos moved only two yards on its first three plays of the drive but received a first down when Crescenta Valley was called for defensive holding on a punt. Three plays later, Crescenta Valley was called for pass interference to give Los Altos another first down.

Six plays after Los Altos received its second reprieve, running back Roger Boden scored on a three-yard run, his second touchdown of the game.