Balanced Taft Buries Cleveland

Running back Jerry Brown led a balanced offense for Taft High, which overwhelmed Cleveland, 32-14, Friday night in a Northwest Valley Conference game at Taft.

Brown, a senior, rushed 28 times for 186 yards and scored touchdowns on runs of 25 and 10 yards.

Taft (7-1, 5-0 ) rushed for 235 yards and passed for 211. The Toreadors built a 25-0 lead at halftime but Cleveland (4-4, 3-2) scored two touchdowns to pull to within 25-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland running back Russell Burwell (19 carries, 63 yards) scored on a three-yard run to complete an 80-yard drive and Ramon Venegas scored on 48-yard swing pass from Johnny Lopez.

With four minutes to play, Taft embarked on a three-minute scoring drive led by Brown’s 46 yards in nine carries. Deyon Shaw completed 11 of 18 for 188 yards and a touchdown and tight end DaShon Polk caught four passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. Polk also threw a 23-yard pass for a score.