Granada Hills Holds Off Chatsworth

Chatsworth High football Coach Myron Gibford didn’t need the memory of an elephant to recall what happened to his Chancellors the last time they met Granada Hills.

Sixty-eight to twenty-one.

That score stuck in Gibford’s craw like a fish bone and he used it for a motivational ploy during preparation for Friday night’s meeting with Granada Hills.

Chatsworth played better this time, but it still wasn’t enough to topple Granada Hills, which took a 16-14 Northwest Valley Conference victory at Chatsworth.

“We hadn’t forgotten about last year, but I think we were too high,” said Gibford, who has yet to beat a Darryl Stroh-coached Highlander team. “(The Chatsworth players) wanted it so badly that they didn’t do the things they were taught.”

Chatsworth (5-4 overall, 3-3 in conference play) had its opportunities in the second half, but four turnovers cost the Chancellors.

Chatsworth finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter after Granada Hills punter Tim Boundy touched a knee down at his 18 while fielding a low snap. Chatsworth took over and, on the next play, quarterback Brian Comer tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Robert Webb. Spencer McLemore’s kick drew Chatsworth to within 9-7 with 11 minutes 32 seconds remaining.

Granada Hills (5-3, 4-2) appeared to seal the victory moments later when John Moss returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown. Boundy’s kick put the Highlanders ahead, 16-7.

Chatsworth was not finished, however. Running back Montay Hardison (99 yards in 18 carries) fumbled the ball away on the next Chancellor series, but Chatsworth got it right back when Lamon Odom intercepted an Edgar Vazquez pass and returned it 30 yards to the Chatsworth 44.

Comer’s ensuing nine-yard touchdown run was nullified because of a penalty, but he threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Lamont Carroll on the next play, and McLemore added the kick to cut the deficit to two with 37 seconds remaining.

But an onside kick was covered by Moss, and Chatsworth had lost again.

Tremain Foriest, making his first start at tailback in place of the injured Raheem Kyle (out with a bruised shoulder) was the star of the first half, rushing for 76 yards in seven carries and scoring a touchdown. He finished with a team-high 91 yards in 15 carries.

On his first carry, Foriest broke loose off the left side, shook a pair of defenders and romped 41 yards down the sideline to a touchdown. Boundy’s kick was wide, and Granada Hills led, 6-0.

Chatsworth struggled offensively for most of the first half. Two of Comer’s passes were intercepted, the second coming on a deflection into the arms of tackle Justin Simpers at the Chancellor 24 late in the second period. That led to a 27-yard field goal from Boundy and a 9-0 Highlander lead.