Rucker Leads Glendale Past La Canada, 19-6 : Prep football: Junior tailback rushes for 170 yards and two scores.

Glendale High’s strategy early in its game Thursday against La Canada was simple: give the ball to Pathon Rucker.

But besides being predictable, the strategy was also successful. Rucker gained 170 yards in 21 carries and scored two touchdowns to key a 19-6 nonleague victory.

A junior tailback, Rucker wasted little time in putting Glendale on the board. He had runs of 19 and 24 yards to spark a seven-play, 81-yard drive that he capped with a three-yard scoring run. That gave Glendale a 6-0 advantage only 3 minutes 6 seconds into the game.

La Canada’s Jeff Olsen evened the score with field goals of 21 and 37 yards in the second and third quarters.

But late in the third quarter, Hector Maya burst 15 yards up the middle to put Glendale ahead to stay, 12-6.

Quarterback Erik Kiesau completed nine of 18 passes for 144 yards and Rucker had three receptions for 39 yards for Glendale (2-0).

“I thought Kiesau passed real well,” Glendale Coach Don Shoemaker said. “When we scored early and it was just Rucker, Rucker, Rucker, I think it created some problems.

“The passing takes a little while to get going, but we finally had a balanced offense in the second half.”

Rucker gained 101 yards in the first half but was limited to eight in the second half before carrying three times for 61 yards on a four-play, 80-yard drive that led to Glendale’s final score.

“La Canada was isolating on me in the second half,” Rucker said, “but my line did a great job for opening up holes for me on that last drive.”

La Canada was limited to four first downs and 140 yards. Jeff Park led La Canada with 41 yards in five carries.

Glendale defensive end Gary Hensen had three sacks, all in the fourth quarter, including one on a third-and-10 situation midway through the fourth period. The Dynamiters were clinging to a 12-6 lead and Hensen’s sack took La Canada out of field-goal range, forcing a punt.