Antelope Valley Falters in 2nd Half, Loses, 13-7

It was a tale of two halves Friday night at Antelope Valley High.

Unfortunately for the host Antelopes, however, Loyola saved the best for last in an exciting 13-7 nonleague win.

Loyola, behind the second-half explosion of senior running back Matt Vanis, overcame a 7-0 halftime deficit and hammered Antelope Valley with its line play to keep school honor intact: Loyola has never lost to Antelope Valley in the series’ seven games.

“Maybe we played against a good team,” Antelope Valley Coach Brent Newcomb said after his team had dropped to 1-3. “It seems like every year we put on a good show with these guys.”

Vanis scored on four-yard bursts in the third and fourth quarter to push Loyola (3-1) over the top. The scores highlighted a dynamic half from the hard-running senior, who stands just 5-foot-9. Vanis gained 128 second-half yards in 17 carries and finished with 148 in 22.

Vanis’ final scoring run came with just 47 seconds left, and still Loyola had to stave off a last-minute drive that stalled at the Cub 34 when time ran out.

Loyola had taken possession for the decisive 58-yard march when Freddie Edwards dropped a fourth-down pass from quarterback Bayi Hilton with 3:44 remaining that would have enabled the Antelopes to retain possession. Earlier in the half, Eugene Dreher dropped a sure touchdown pass from Hilton.

But Newcomb could point no fingers. Edwards, the team’s finest all-around player, had scored the Antelopes’ only touchdown and Dreher had recovered a fumble and been Antelope Valley’s best defensive player the entire game.

The first half was dominated by Antelope Valley, which outgained the Cubs 150 yards to 65.

Newcomb showed a little razzle-dazzle and coaching imagination to set up the half’s only score.

After Loyola’s John Stonehouse missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt, Antelope Valley took over on the 20-yard line. A face-mask penalty kept the drive alive on a third-and-nine play, and four plays later, Antelope Valley struck.

With the ball at the 50, wide receiver Rodney Flakes, who caught five passes for 52 yards in the first half, took a reverse handoff from quarterback Hilton.

Flakes, who played quarterback on the junior-varsity level, fired long to a streaking Dreher, who made the catch and was dragged down at the two. One play later, Edwards bulled in for the touchdown and Antelope Valley led, 7-0.

The Antelopes again came close to scoring when Peter Holt’s towering 52-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the crossbar and fell into the end zone.

After Flakes made an interception with four seconds left, Holt tried a 47-yarder with no time left in the half, but the ball sailed wide left.