HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Blair Carries Village Christian to Title With 99-Yard Kickoff Return

Tarik Blair returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown with 1 minute 10 seconds to play to give Village Christian High a 21-19 victory over L.A. Baptist on Saturday night in a pivotal Alpha League game at Monroe High.

The victory enabled the Crusaders (9-0, 4-0 in the league) to clinch the league championship.

Blair’s touchdown capped a dramatic fourth quarter.

L.A. Baptist (4-5, 2-1) led, 13-7, midway through the fourth quarter, but the Crusaders drove 98 yards in 16 plays, scoring on a one-yard run by Blair with 1:57 left.

But the Knights regained the lead when Craig Lord took a short pass from Zack Hernandez on the first play from scrimmage and raced 58 yards for a touchdown with 1:25 to play.

Blair picked up the ensuing kickoff at the one and found an opening down the right sideline.

Blair, the Crusaders’ leading rusher, had only 26 yards in nine carries. He lined up at wide receiver for most of the game, finishing with five catches for 104 yards.

Crusader quarterback David Treanor completed seven of 12 passes for 130 yards. Hernandez was six of 13 for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

Matt Hernandez led the Knights’ rushing attack with 51 yards in eight carries.