Blunt’s Frantic Run Gives San Fernando Wild Victory

GRANADA HILLS — The postgame plea from Granada Hills High co-Coach Tom Harp to San Fernando quarterback Leon Blunt could not have come more from the heart.

“Would you graduate, man?” Harp said. “Don’t go for another year.”

Blunt, being a senior, was amenable. Of course, riding Cloud Nine-plus after Friday night’s North Valley League opener, Blunt was in a most agreeable mood.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Blunt scrambled for a 77-yard touchdown with 38 seconds to play to give San Fernando a 28-25 victory at Granada Hills High.

Blunt’s run marked the fourth time that San Fernando (3-1) came from behind to take the lead. There were seven lead changes in the game.

San Fernando Coach Sean Blunt, Leon’s cousin, told him, “Run it if you’ve got it. Run it if you’ve got it,’ ” Leon Blunt said. “He said, ‘If you run, you run to score.’ ”

Somehow, Blunt did just that. He stepped up in the pocket under a strong Granada Hills rush, hesitated, then burst forward and curled down the left sideline.

“I don’t believe it,” Blunt said. “I didn’t believe I could do it.”

Granada Hills (0-4) had taken a 25-20 lead with 8:37 to play when quarterback Jimmy Landress threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this for 43 yards, to Eric Carpenter.

Landress completed 12 of 22 passes for 175 yards with no interceptions. Carpenter caught seven passes for 117 yards.

The Tigers relied completely on the big play to score. Brian Jackson had a 79-yard run in the first quarter, Flip Aguilar caught a 39-yard pass from Blunt in the second quarter and Lavell Thompson ran for 23 yards in the third.