PREP FOOTBALL : Freeway League : La Habra’s Little Plays Make a Big Difference

Two touchdowns. One a pass turned run, the other a short gainer turned game breaker. La Habra High School’s 13-10 Freeway League victory over visiting Troy Friday night was no accident, not the way its defense played.

Then again, the way its offense played, who needs plans?

Midway through the first quarter, La Habra quarterback Al Razo dropped back to pass, was hit several times behind the line, then broke down the sideline and past most of the Troy defense for a 58-yard touchdown run.

That tied the score at 7-7 with 7:45 left in the first quarter. Troy had scored on its first possession on a 5-yard run by Chris Conway, capping a drive that was set up by Mark Stichter’s 68-yard kickoff return.

Troy’s Rob Duarte gave his team a 13-10 lead with a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter. That lead lasted until La Habra running back Mark Brown took a handoff for a simple blast off tackle. Brown was hit at the line, bounced off to the left and ran down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown run.

“I knew Mark would break one eventually,” said John Nicholls, La Habra coach. “With him, it’s just a matter of time.”

Brown gained 109 yards in 11 carries.

La Habra (5-3, 3-0) scored only 13 points--the conversion run after Brown’s touchdown came up short--and made it hold up. It held up because the La Habra defense generally put a sleeper hold on the Troy offense through much of the second half.

They limited Troy (5-2-1, 1-2) to 5 yards rushing in the second half and sacked quarterback Brad Zeppieri 4 times.

In fact, they held Zeppieri to just 1 completion for most of the game, that is, until Zeppieri lobbed a desperation pass late in the fourth quarter that almost changed the outcome.

With 2:29 left in the game, Troy found itself with a fourth and 21 on its own 38. Zeppieri threw the ball toward a trio of Troy receivers and the ball eventually came down in the hands of Mike Smith at the La Habra 17.

In two plays, the ball was at the 10. On third down, Zeppieri attempted to hand off to Conway, but the ball squirted loose and La Habra’s Dan Ledieff fell on it.

“Wow,” Nicholls said. “That’s one of the greatest ballgames I’ve ever been involved in.”

It certainly was if you liked punting. There were 14 in the game. It was also great if you like defense.

Except for the two big plays--a big except, of course--Troy never allowed La Habra to sustain a drive.

“I really think the league’s two best defensive teams were here today,” Nicholls said.

Troy came into the game having shut out three opponents and having held three others to 7 points or less.

La Habra had shut out its last two opponents.