San Fernando Still Blazing, 35-14

Which player is faster depends on the month of the year, they say. Or possibly, how many defenders are in hot pursuit.

To the naked eye, San Fernando High running backs Brian Brison and LaKarlos Townsend are both a blur.

“He’s got better football speed,” Brison said with a nod toward Townsend. “I’ve got the faster track speed.”

The dashing duo put forth a combined effort Friday night: Brison scored two touchdowns and Townsend added three as San Fernando beat host Granada Hills, 35-14, in a West Valley League game.

“Those two are great backs,” Granada Hills co-Coach Darryl Stroh said. “That’s some team. They could go all the way.”

Townsend and Brison did exactly that, more times than Stroh would care to remember. Townsend rushed for a game-high 157 yards in 17 carries and scored on runs of seven, 60 and 23 yards.

Brison, who rushed for 64 yards in seven carries, caught an 82-yard scoring pass during the final ticks of the second quarter that gave the Tigers (6-0, 3-0 in league play) the lead for good. He also added a 39-yard scoring run and intercepted a pass.

It was the first win for San Fernando at Granada Hills since 1982 and marks the Tigers’ best start since the 1978 team started 10-0.

With San Fernando leading, 14-7, Brison broke loose around the right side and scored from 39 yards with four minutes 14 seconds left in the third quarter.

After the kickoff, a Granada Hills pass was intercepted on the first play from scrimmage and Townsend cashed it in as fast as the chains were moved. Townsend, who has scored 11 touchdowns in the past three games, took a pitch deep in the backfield and gave a defender a stutter step, then bolted around the right end for a 60-yard touchdown and a 28-7 lead.

“We weren’t going anywhere in the first half,” said Townsend, who had 40 rushing yards at intermission. “That play opened up the game.”

Granada Hills (3-2, 2-1) failed to roll over, however, and pulled within 14 points when quarterback Edgar Vasquez (15 of 29 for 183 yards) hit tight end John Torgeson for a 10-yard score with 1:06 left in the third quarter.

The Highlanders were poised to cut the lead to seven in the fourth quarter, driving inside the 10. On fourth and five at the seven, Vasquez was pressured as he rolled left and threw into the end zone toward Shontrell Ryals. San Fernando defensive back Flip Aguilar was called for pass interference, but a second official ruled the ball was deflected and the Tigers took over on downs with 8:01 left.

Townsend made it 35-14 by scoring from 23 yards on a counter play with 2:10 remaining.

San Fernando took a 7-0 lead with 2:32 left in the first quarter when Townsend scored from seven yards. Granada Hills pulled even on a one-yard run by Raheem Kyle with 1:10 left in the first half.

After the kickoff, on third and 18 at the Tiger 18-yard line, San Fernando quarterback Leon Blunt heaved the ball 40 yards to Brison, who caught the ball at midfield. Brison escaped from Will Brewer and Tremain Foriest and rolled in from 82 yards for a 14-7 lead with two seconds left.