Granada Hills Has Catchy Play, 40-15

The play was simple. Granada Hills High wide receiver Eric Carpenter streaked down the left sideline, quarterback Brian MacLean hung the ball high in the air, and Carpenter leaped to make a diving reception.

The play was successful four times in the third quarter and helped set up three touchdowns as Granada Hills pulled away from host San Fernando for a 40-15 victory in a Northwest Valley Conference football game Thursday night.

The win virtually assures Granada Hills (6-3-1, 5-1-1 in conference play) a spot in the City Section 4-A playoffs. San Fernando (5-5, 4-3) must wait until this morning to find out if it makes the 4-A or 3-A field.

“It’s not a play we run a lot but the first time it worked and we kept coming back to it and it kept working,” MacLean said. “The corner was playing him off a little bit, a few of them were bad passes but he made some great catches.

Although only one connection was good for a touchdown--a 26-yard play midway through the third quarter--the play set up a five-yard run by Eric Richardson.

Carpenter, who finished with 10 receptions for 199 yards, also caught one of San Fernando quarterback Larry Logan’s passes at midfield. The interception set up a 45-yard scoring pass from MacLean to Jason Ascencio as the Highlanders rebounded from a 15-12 halftime deficit.

MacLean completed 15 of 24 passes for 304 yards and did not throw a pass in the fourth quarter. Ascencio finished with four receptions for 102 yards.

“When I got up and saw it was pouring (rain) I was really worried we weren’t going to be able to throw much,” Ascencio said. “But the field wasn’t a factor at all.”

Carpenter’s second catch of the game was the 124th of his career and broke Scott Mottram’s school record set from 1971-73.

Logan completed four of 11 passes for 72 yards and threw two interceptions. He also rushed for 71 yards in 12 carries. Logan’s 47-yard dash in the second quarter set up a three-yard touchdown run by Lavell Thompson.