Hoover Defense Cleans Up, 17-12

Hoover High held La Canada to just 88 yards total offense and turned two third-quarter turnovers into 10 points to claim a 17-12 victory in a nonleague game Thursday night at Glendale High.

“Our run defense has played well all year,” Coach Dennis Hughes said. “We felt if we could make them pass, it would be to our advantage.”

With Hoover (2-3) trailing, 12-7, early in the third quarter, Henrik Stepanyan intercepted a pass by James Wolstenholme and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown.

On La Canada’s next play from scrimmage, Hoover recovered a Ray Lee fumble on the La Canada 22-yard-line and scored four plays later when Jack Vartanyan kicked a 33-yard field goal for a 17-12 lead.

With La Canada (2-3) moving the ball late in the fourth quarter, defensive end Steve Staub recorded one of his two sacks of Wolstenholme. Two plays later, Staub sealed the victory when he trapped Lee for an eight-yard loss on fourth down.

“This one’s really sweet,” Hughes said. “It’s nice to beat those guys who are just over the hill.”

La Canada scored the game’s first points on a 12-yard run by Lee with five minutes to play in the first quarter. Lee finished with 24 yards in 11 carries.

The Spartans scored again three minutes later when Hoover quarterback Juan Marin was hit and fumbled. Kyle McGregor recovered and raced 66 yards for a touchdown that gave La Canada a 12-0 lead.

Marin completed five of 14 passes for 76 yards and one touchdown.