Canyon Forces Six Turnovers to Beat Loara

Even with their offense sputtering most of the game, Canyon’s Comanches can still figure out how to put a lot of points on the scoreboard.

Thursday night, the Comanche defense rose to the occasion as Canyon ripped Loara, 35-7, in a nonleague game at Western High, capitalizing on six Loara turnovers, including four interceptions.

Canyon (3-0) has now outscored its opposition, 109-21, in 1992. The Comanches took a 21-0 first-quarter lead en route to avenging last season’s 23-0 loss to the Saxons.

Comanche quarterback Gunnar Strunz was erratic for much of the game. He completed only eight of 20 passes for 143 yards and threw two interceptions. But he also threw two touchdown passes, including a 66-yard play to Dave Kimura for the game’s first score. Casey Wilson kicked his first of five conversions for a 7-0 Canyon lead.

Jerrick Harper made the score 14-0 with 7 minutes 27 seconds left in the first quarter when he picked off the first of four interceptions thrown by Loara’s Bill Milligan and returned the ball 22 yards for a touchdown.

Canyon scored its third first-period touchdown after Taylor Wilson recovered a Loara fumble on the Saxon 25-yard line. Seven plays later, Strunz scored on a three-yard run.

Loara marched 54 yards in the second quarter and scored on Sii Liufau’s one-yard run. The Saxons held the Comanches until midway through the fourth quarter when Strunz hit Troy Langley with a 25-yard scoring pass and substitute quarterback Adam Hoover hit Todd Wyatt with an 18-yard touchdown throw.