Canyon Suffers Worst Defeat Under Welch, 48-10

For Canyon High, Friday night’s Southern Section Division II playoff opener against second-seeded Muir was a continuous, nightmarish instant replay.

Every time Canyon Coach Harry Welch looked up, it seemed as if there was a posse of Cowboys in futile pursuit of a Muir running back.

When the final gun mercifully sounded, Canyon was left to ponder a 48-10 defeat at Pasadena City College--Welch’s worst loss in 11 years as the Cowboys’ mentor and his first in the opening round in 11 tries.

“Is Muir that good? Against us they were,” Welch said. “We weren’t lining up with the same kind of talent they had. They were infinitely faster than we were.”

Canyon (7-4) figured to see a lot of Muir tailback Saladin McCullough, and the Cowboys did--mostly his back.

McCullough took the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, leaving a trail of fallen Cowboys in his wake. Before the first half was finished, the senior running back scored three more touchdowns on runs of 91, 72 and 16 yards.

McCullough finished with 219 yards in 11 carries.

He wasn’t the only Muir back to break off a big play. Mustang quarterback Andy Colbert scored on a 76-yard run in the third period and linebacker Derek Norman intercepted a Sean Connelly pass and returned it 50 yards for a score.

Muir (10-1) rushed for 394 yards and had 451 total yards against a Canyon team that had been allowing 284.5 yards per game.

Connelly, a junior, threw two interceptions but finished with 153 passing yards, completing seven of 19. Cowboy receiver Kirk Sweetnam had five catches for 127 yards.

Canyon running back Sean McDermott had 89 yards in 18 carries--78 in the second half when the game was already decided. McDermott scored Canyon’s only touchdown on a seven-yard run in the first period. Matt George added a 23-yard field goal just before halftime to account for Canyon’s other points.

Canyon tailback Ed Williams, hobbled by a sprained ankle, had 13 yards in nine carries and did not play in the second half.

Muir led, 34-10, at halftime and added two touchdowns in the third period.