Glendale Makes 7 Interceptions in 35-21 Victory Over La Canada

When Jaiya Figueras saw the ball floating in the air, it was a familiar sight.

And when he intercepted it and took it into the end zone, that too seemed familiar.

Figueras had three interceptions--two for touchdowns--to help Glendale High to a 35-21 nonleague victory over La Canada on Thursday night at Glendale.

“He was easy to read,” Figueras said of La Canada quarterback Matt Perrigue. “He kept throwing to (John Kenall).”

And he threw to Glendale defenders quite often too. The Dynamiters intercepted seven passes.

Defensive back Christopher Carr picked off two and defensive back Raffi Avedian and linebacker Keith Hopkins each had one.

The Dynamiters, who defeated Alhambra, 28-0, last week, improved to 2-0. La Canada is 0-2.

Glendale’s offense, which produced only two of the team’s five touchdowns, was led by Shawn Cole, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.

Quarterback Ramon Jose completed three of five passes for 38 yards and one touchdown.

James Razumich, who gained 153 in the Dynamiters’ opener, had only 32 in nine carries.

Despite the interceptions, Perrigue looked good at times. He completed 14 of 32 for 180 yards and a touchdown. He ran for the other two touchdowns, kicked two extra points and ran in a two-point conversion.

Glendale took an insurmountable lead when Figueras, an outside linebacker, registered his second interception and first touchdown. After La Canada had narrowed the Glendale lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter, Avedian returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown.

Then, on the third play of the Spartans’ next possession, Figueras stepped in front of a pass at his own 47 and ran nearly untouched into the end zone.

The extra point gave the Dynamiters a 28-7 lead with 9 minutes 19 seconds to play in the half.

La Canada managed a touchdown before halftime to pull within 28-13.

Figueras scored again with 1:47 remaining in the third quarter. He was hanging back in the secondary when Perrigue, in trouble in his own end zone, put up a floater. Figueras, reacting like a basketball player grabbing a rebound, snared the ball at the three and walked into the end zone to give Glendale a 35-13 lead.