Unbeaten Crescenta Valley Trims Pacific Foe Glendale

The football team at Crescenta Valley High is now without two things: losses and hair.

After defeating Glendale, 24-17, Friday night at Glendale, Crescenta Valley is 7-0, 2-0 in Pacific League play.

Erik LaCom broke a 17-17 tie with a two-yard touchdown run with 8 minutes 52 seconds to play.

After the game, the Falcons celebrated by rubbing one another’s bald heads.

“We (shaved our heads) to show our unity,” said senior tailback Paul Lopez, who led the way with a season-high 151 yards rushing. “That’s been the key to our season.”

Unity and baldness aside, a key for Crescenta Valley has been its defense. The Falcons held the Dynamiters to 163 yards. Crescenta Valley allows an average of 143.4 yards a game.

However, the Falcons also got a few breaks not of their making. Shawn Cole, Glendale’s leading rusher, missed the game for academic reasons, Coach Don Shoemaker said. Chris Carr replaced him, but injured his ankle on his first carry and was taken to the hospital for X-rays.

But Shoemaker, whose team has lost its two Pacific League games after winning all five nonleague contests, didn’t blame the loss of the two players for Glendale’s fall.

“I think our kids played great,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker also said he wasn’t surprised to see Crescenta Valley, ranked sixth in The Times’ area top 10, doing so well.

“Crescenta Valley is exactly the kind of team I thought they’d be,” he said. “I picked Muir and Crescenta Valley 1-2.”

Muir and Crescenta Valley will play next week.

Lopez, who scored two touchdowns, was the game’s yardage leader. LaCom chipped in with 63 yards in eight carries and Brett Miller caught three passes for 46 yards.

Miller’s catches were quarterback David Fielder’s only completions in seven attempts. Fielder also kicked a 39-yard field goal.

Glendale’s offensive leader was quarterback Ramon Jose, who completed seven of 13 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.

James Razumich rushed for 54 yards in 15 carries.

The Falcons’ drive for the winning touchdown came just after Glendale tied the score, 17-17, on a 15-yard pass from Jose to Raffi Avedian.

Crescenta Valley took the ball at the 20, and drove it 80 yards on eight plays. The last four were runs by LaCom.