Kennedy, Sylmar Draw No Blood

No handshakes between opposing players or coaches. No smiles. Just two teams standing on opposites sides of the field feeling a bit relieved and, perhaps, disgusted.

There were no winners or losers in Friday night’s nonleague season opener between City Section 4-A Division champion Sylmar High and Kennedy.

The teams tied, 7-7. There was little in the way of offense but plenty of hard-hitting defense.

For Sylmar tailback Tyrone Crenshaw, the 1992 4-A player of the year, it was a frustrating night.

Crenshaw gained 61 of his team’s 147 total yards in 13 carries and never came close to the end zone.

Kennedy Coach Bob Francola had expected as much.

“I was expecting him to find out what Northwest Valley (Conference) defense was all about,” Francola said. “I think he did.”

Only three of Crenshaw’s carries netted 10 or more yards; the rest netted him six yards or fewer.

Sylmar scored first, on a halfback pass early in the second quarter. Quarterback Anthony Muse pitched to Dana Hills transfer Mark Reynosa, who rolled right and hit Dwight Patton in the end zone with an 18-yard strike.

Kennedy’s touchdown was set up by excellent field position after a 26-yard punt and a subsequent 15-yard Sylmar penalty on the return. The result was that Kennedy started its first possession of the fourth quarter from the Sylmar 28.

After a couple of runs by Donte Scarbrough (17 carries, 38 yards) got the Golden Cougars to the 22, quarterback Dan McMullen connected with Shaun Dudra in the end zone.

Kennedy’s most impressive drive, however, came in the second quarter. The Golden Cougars, chewing nearly 7 1/2 minutes off the clock, went 75 yards in 13 plays but stalled at the Sylmar 17.