Harvard-Westlake Takes It Easy : High school football: Reserves, entire junior varsity team play in 42-7 victory over La Quinta.

You know you’re in a blowout when a quarterback has his team at the opponent’s one-yard line and goes to one knee to run out the clock in the second quarter.

Such was the case for Harvard- Westlake High’s Derek Lemkin, who led the Wolverines to a 42-7 nonleague victory over La Quinta on Saturday at Harvard.

The game wasn’t nearly that close.

Harvard-Westlake took a 26-0 lead in the first quarter, added a touchdown in the second quarter and was threatening to push the margin to 40 points when Lemkin made the gesture of mercy.

It was a change of pace for Lemkin, who riddled the Aztecs for 269 yards and three touchdowns on seven-of-seven passing.

Lemkin spent the second half on the sidelines while Coach Dave Bennett emptied his bench to give all of his reserves as well as his entire junior varsity team some game experience. All 50 players in uniform saw action.

The Wolverines (8-1-1), who clinched the Camino Real League title last week, entered their regular-season finale ranked third in the Southern Section’s Division IX.

“This was no accident where we are,” Bennett said. “We have a good football team. Today we wanted to stay sharp, keep from getting injuries, and everybody had a chance to play.”

And all at the expense of a 1-9 La Quinta team that was just playing out the string.

Lemkin connected with Kadar Lewis on an 80-yard touchdown pass on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Four plays later, Mike Bou intercepted a Jayson Gonringer pass and returned it 33 yards for another score.

Running back Abed Abuszleh then scored two touchdowns, one on an eight-yard run, the second on a 40-yard pass from Lemkin.

Abuszleh gained 83 yards in 10 carries before taking his place beside Lemkin on the sidelines in the second half.

Kevin Goldfein added a 46-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter and Mike Seid scored on a three-yard run in the third. Lewis and Goldfein each caught two passes for 102 yards.

La Quinta, which gained only 131 yards, was led by Tony Tran, who gained 37 yards in eight carries.

Tran broke the shutout with a two-yard run in the fourth quarter.