HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : L.A. Baptist Sneaks Past Maranatha, 7-6

Adrian Kaali-Nagy’s 29-yard touchdown reception and subsequent conversion kick midway through the fourth quarter lifted L.A. Baptist High to a 7-6 victory over Maranatha in an Alpha League game Saturday night at San Marino High.

Senior running back Surfy Taylor, who rushed for 237 yards in 31 carries, gave Maranatha a 6-0 lead on a four-yard run early in the second quarter. Taylor, also a defensive back, had 14 tackles and forced a fumble that the Minutemen recovered.

Chris Ross gained 147 yards in 16 carries for L.A. Baptist (2-5, 2-0 in league) and quarterback Robin Woo completed seven of 12 passes for 56 yards.

Maranatha (3-3, 1-1) was forced to play without three starters as quarterback Nathan Covey, running back Jordan McMahon and defensive back Darryl Ussery and were involved in a automobile accident heading to the game after the team dinner.

Bell-Jeff 39, St. Genevieve 13--The Guards controlled the line of scrimmage, rushing 29 times for 256 yards and four touchdowns, dropping the visiting Valiants to 0-7 and 0-4 in Santa Fe League play.

The Guards (4-3, 3-1) scored on runs of eight, 13, 16 and two yards. Danny Hughes rushed eight times for 72 yards, and sophomore Tommy Gales had 49 yards on five carries, including a two-yard score.

David Matekel had touchdown receptions of 19 and 24 yards to lead the Guards.

Quarterback Richard Szeptycki completed five of seven passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns to Matekel. A Szeptycki pass was picked off by Eric Tapia, who returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to make the score 26-13 in the third quarter.

Tapia also had four catches for 49 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown that gave the Valiants their only lead of the evening, 7-6, in the second quarter.

Vince Pisano completed six of 16 pass attempts for 79 yards for the Valiants.

Kilpatrick 34, Western Christian 7--Mario Qualls did a little of everything and led the visiting Mustangs (5-2, 1-1) to an Alpha League victory.

Qualls had two pass receptions for 34 yards, rushed 13 times for 78 yards--including touchdown runs of 46 and four yards--and returned a punt 62 yards for his third score to fuel a 28-0 Kilpatrick lead at halftime.

The Mustang defense limited the Lancers (2-5, 0-2) to 93 yards of total offense, forcing 6 turnovers. Wardell Joe, Cleo Cloman, Edward Lyde and Levell Ziegler all had interceptions for Kilpatrick. Cloman’s and Lyde’s interceptions were returned for touchdowns.