Arango’s Highlight Comes With a Catch
Cameras were rolling at the Kennedy High football field Friday night, most of them aimed in the direction of a receiver who hadn’t caught a pass all season.
They came to capture the talents of Charlie Arango, and he didn’t disappoint.
In the third quarter, the Birmingham High senior was on the receiving end of a 14-yard pass for a first down.
The catch wasn’t a big play in the game, which Kennedy won, 35-21. But in the context of at least one young man’s life it was huge.
Arango was born without a left hand, making his athletic career more challenging than most.
“It was great,” Arango said. “When I caught it, a lot of pressure left my body.”
Arango estimates he had been the intended target of four other passes this season, all of which fell incomplete. His teammates were happy for him, but at the same time remained measured in their congratulations.
To act too excited would have been a slap at Arango’s talent.
“It was like normal, an everyday thing,” said Birmingham wingback Tony Nichols, one of Arango’s closest friends. “Tony makes that catch all the time in practice. It’s not like we didn’t know he could do it.”
Arango’s catch was captured on film by three local television camera crews. KCBS showed the play on its sportscast Friday night. Arango, who was the subject of a feature story in The Times last month, was the focus of segments aired by KNBC and KMEX on Saturday.
Now, if only that play would have gone for a touchdown. . . .
“That’s my only dream, my only goal that’s left,” he said.
Stay tuned.
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Eddie Lopez, Sylmar High’s free safety, has the size college recruiters like to see in a defensive back. He is a tall and sinewy 6-foot-2, 190 pounds.
A converted quarterback, Lopez also possesses the requisite mental attributes for the job. He anticipates passing routes. His coach says he “has a tremendous nose for the football.”
And he has speed. You want to talk about speed? We take you into the coaches’ office at Sylmar and roll some film.
Sylmar vs. Reseda, second quarter:
The Reseda quarterback is scrambling for his life. Lopez, dutifully patrolling the secondary, mistakenly comes up to protect against a run. The quarterback pulls up and lofts a pass toward tight end Alonso Arreola.
Lopez is beaten. He has Arreola ahead of him, the ball sailing above him and 10 breathless teammates, who are watching in horror. Sylmar hasn’t allowed a point in 16 consecutive quarters or a passing touchdown all season. Arreola has about a five-yard advantage as he pulls in the pass--a lead that quickly disappears. Lopez hauls him down at the seven-yard line.
In the midst of his furious sprint, Lopez said one image dominated his thoughts--Sylmar Coach Jeff Engilman, his face contorted with rage.
“If he scores, I didn’t want to have to face coach,” Lopez said. “He was not going to score.”
And so he didn’t. And neither did Reseda. A few plays later, Arreola--perhaps still winded--was wide right on a 22-yard field-goal attempt. The scoreless streak, now up to 19 quarters, was saved. But not Lopez. He still got an earful from Engilman once he made his way to the sideline.
Fear is such a wonderful stimulant.
*
Two scary scenes. Two false alarms. Two fortunate young men.
Eyan Schreibman of El Camino Real and Steve McKeon of Hart were taken from their respective Friday night football games by ambulance. Schreibman, a running back and defensive back, stayed stretched out on the field for an extended period because of a neck injury.
McKeon, the quarterback for Hart, experienced dizziness, a headache and chills after guiding the Indians to a 42-19 victory over rival Canyon.
Both were fine by Saturday.
El Camino Real Coach Bob Ganssle said Schreibman was released shortly after being examined at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills. The injury, which limited Schreibman’s head movement, turned out to be a mild muscle strain. He is expected to be practicing in a couple of days.
McKeon’s injury also appeared worse than it was. His father, Joe, said doctors diagnosed a mild concussion.
