Cypress Holds Off Magnolia

Cypress High School scored three times in the fourth quarter and held off Magnolia’s rally to post a 28-19 nonleague victory Friday at Handel Stadium.

Gary Kakalia’s 23-yard interception return with 1:10 to play sealed the victory after Magnolia’s Ariel Couvetier made the score 21-19 on a 98-yard kickoff return with five minutes to play.

A 19-yard pass from Gabe Garcia to Yousef Seeman and a 29-yard run by Bryan Dawson accounted for Cypress’ other second-half scores.

Magnolia (1-4) scored on a 60-yard fumble return by John Garcia with 3:08 to play in the third quarter for the Sentinels’ first touchdown in four games. Early in the fourth quarter, Magnolia took a 12-7 lead on a one-yard run by Couvetier set up by a Cypress fumble. But the Centurions came right back on a six-play, 80-yard drive capped by Seeman’s touchdown reception with 10:25 to play.

Cypress (2-3) had a strong defensive effort that held Magnolia to 115 total yards.

After a scoreless first half, Joe Groover opened the scoring with a six-yard pass from Garcia that capped a 10-play, 61-yard drive with 5:52 left in the third quarter.