Iacenda Goes Out and Hart Goes Down to 38-33 Loss : High school football: Indians can’t catch nationally ranked St. Louis after star back leaves with concussion in third quarter.

It was a scary moment for Hart High supporters who traveled 2,500 miles to Aloha Stadium.

Ted Iacenda, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound preseason All-American back for the Indians, staggered along the line of scrimmage during a break in Hart’s 38-33 loss to nationally ranked St. Louis on Thursday night. Suddenly, Iacenda collapsed into a heap as several Hart assistants rushed to his side.

In addition to playing tailback on a humid night on an unfamiliar artificial surface, Iacenda also played strong safety, linebacker and defensive end. He even returned a kickoff.

Rushing the ball in a fashion that drew gang-tackling every time, Iacenda gained 124 yards in 14 carries and scored a touchdown. But a physical Crusader defense made him pay for most of his yards.

On his fifth carry in the first half, Iacenda had the wind knocked out of him on a driving hit by Kelli Kaanoi.

Finally, after a 10-yard gain in the third quarter, Iacenda’s body gave out.

“He started throwing up, which is the sign of a concussion,” Hart Coach Mike Herrington said.

Iacenda and linebacker Todd Hourigan both were taken to a hospital with concussions, but were later released.

Without Iacenda, Hart’s best hope of overtaking St. Louis was gone. The Crusaders were leading, 32-26, when Iacenda left.

The victory was St. Louis’ 21st in a row dating to 1993. Its streak for preseason victories dates even further. In 1990, Canyon High, another Santa Clarita school, knocked St. Louis from the USA Today “Super 25” rankings, 40-0.

Despite the scoring barrage that St. Louis absorbed, the Crusaders gave worse than they got.

“We had a lot of injuries,” Herrington said. “A couple of defensive linemen, offensive linemen and a linebacker.

“St. Louis is a hard-hitting team and we knew that coming in. Having only one practice on the artificial turf didn’t help either.”

Hart quarterback Steve McKeon, who led California in passing last year with 2,924 yards, said he was stunned by the ferocity of St. Louis’ defense.

“I’ve never been hit so much in my life,” he said. “I got hit [often in the head] every time I threw the ball.”

McKeon also isn’t used to playing an entire game.

“Usually we have a big lead by the third quarter and I sit down,” he said.

Hart last year had a record of 13-1, advancing to the Southern Section Division II final before losing to Antelope Valley.

McKeon passed for four touchdowns, completing eight of 23 passes for 214 yards. Two of his passes were intercepted.

Hart scored first when McKeon connected with Ted Waddell on a 14-yard pass in the first quarter. Hart maintained its lead at the half when McKeon threw a seven-yard pass to J.B. Nelson to make the score 20-13.

Palani Nunes of St. Louis, starting in place of all-state quarterback Darrell Arcenaux, accumulated some impressive numbers of his own.

Nunes passed for 278 yards and four touchdowns, completing 18 of 28 passes.

Hart added a touchdown late in the game when McKeon connected with Nelson on a 29-yard play.