HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 6 : Winging It on Ground, Falcons Get Past Glendale

Maybe the Crescenta Valley High football team should change its nickname to the Roadrunners.

Only once did the Falcons go to the air in a 7-6 victory over Glendale in a Pacific League opener Friday night at Glendale High. And that pass was intercepted.

Quarterback Cody Blackburn’s fourth-quarter interception was only Crescenta Valley’s 17th pass of the season. Don’t expect many more from Coach Alan Eberhart’s old-fashioned wing-T offense.

“That’s it,” Eberhart said. “We’re not going to throw it anymore. That was stupid.”

Crescenta Valley (5-1) ran well, controlling the ball, the clock and ultimately the game with 252 rushing yards.

Sophomore Kenneth Pritchett rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown in 27 carries to lead a seven-back attack. Pritchett has 929 yards in six games.

Pritchett’s two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, followed by Marla Nelson’s extra point, gave the Falcons all they needed when Crescenta Valley stopped two Glendale drives in Falcon territory.

“The kids like this offense,” Eberhart said. “They like the change of direction.”

Glendale (2-3-1) marched 89 yards in 13 plays on its first drive of the second half to pull to within 7-6. Jason Klintworth slammed one yard for the touchdown on fourth down, but Vimal Patel’s extra-point kick sailed left.

Klintworth finished with 77 yards in 15 carries.

Crescenta Valley was predictable but effective from the beginning. Pritchett carried on the Falcons’ first five plays to drive Crescenta Valley past midfield.

The 16-play, 67-yard drive lasted nine minutes but ended when Tim Jones fumbled at the one-yard line and Glendale recovered.

Crescenta Valley fielded a punt at the Glendale 33 midway through the second quarter and drove for a touchdown in five plays.

Glendale’s Jeremy Callister, who finished seven of 14 for 83 yards, connected with Ara Minas for 14 yards and Henri Torossian for 13 yards on a drive into Falcon territory late in the half.

The drive stalled in the final minute of the half when defensive tackle Sako Arutyunyan sacked Callister at the 12-yard line. Defensive end Oshin Honarchian then pressured Callister into throwing the ball away on the next play.

Patel’s field-goal try was aborted when the snap was bobbled.