Northwest Teams Grounded for a Week

With five of the eight Northwest Valley Conference teams opening play last week, it seemed logical to assume that the kinks might not be ironed out of many aerial attacks. Yet, despite that, several teams won.

The passing (and failing) grades:

* El Camino Real defeated Fairfax, 20-16, despite zero passing yardage. Senior quarterback Tony Bordwell threw two incomplete passes in two tries, but the Conquistadore running backs picked up the slack by rushing for 260 yards.

* Chatsworth defeated Monroe, 9-0, despite not completing a pass. Quarterback Brandon Reudy attempted three passes, misfiring on all three. The Chancellors won on the strength of their special teams, which scored all nine points.

* Canoga Park lost, 12-7, to Reseda as Dave Erhardt completed three of 14 attempts for 16 yards. Erhardt accounted for Canoga Park’s lone touchdown on a 10-yard run.

* Granada Hills defeated Franklin, 19-7, despite only 17 passing yards from Bryan Martin, who completed four of 14 and threw for one touchdown. The ground attack, however, accounted for 248 yards and the special teams contributed a touchdown.

* Cleveland defeated Van Nuys, 14-6. First-year starter Steve Bryant was the most effective of the conference quarterbacks, completing eight of 15 (53.3%) for 77 yards. Yet Cleveland’s two scores came on the ground.

* San Fernando lost, 17-7, to Crespi as Michael Wynn completed five of 14 passes for 58 yards. San Fernando’s lone touchdown was scored by its defense.

* Taft defeated Servite, 7-6, as quarterback Edwin Velasco completed four of nine passes for 61 yards. Taft’s only score came on an 11-yard run by Gregory Bernard.

* Kennedy was beaten by Santa Barbara, 39-13, but Tony Vazquez was the most ambitious conference quarterback, completing 13 of 29 for 97 yards and a touchdown. Because Kennedy trailed, 20-0, in the first half, Vazquez had little choice but to pass. He also threw three interceptions.

The conference passing totals: 37 of 100 for 319 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

There’s no place to go but, well, up.

Rushing: El Camino Real’s backfield tandem of Jamal Anderson and Lejon Carr combined for 243 rushing yards Friday, roughly two-thirds of the total they gained as part-time starters last season. In 1988, Carr (220 yards) and Anderson (145) ranked first and third, respectively, among Conquistadore rushers. Bobby Kim (173 yards in ‘88), who recently rejoined the team after the American Legion baseball season and played last week as a linebacker, also will play fullback this week.