Harvard-Westlake Gets the Boot, 39-12

Harvard-Westlake High turned the ball over on downs on three of its first four possessions Thursday night in a 39-12 nonleague football loss to St. Bonaventure.

St. Bonaventure also recovered a Wolverine fumble and capitalized on its gifts for a 30-0 halftime lead.

Five times in the first 24 minutes, Harvard-Westlake Coach Dave Bennett elected not to punt on fourth down.

Three times the Seraphs denied the Wolverines (3-2) and the last two stands led to St. Bonaventure touchdowns.

In the first quarter, St. Bonaventure (4-1) stopped Harvard-Westlake on fourth and two at the Wolverine 37-yard line.

Six running plays later, Seraph quarterback Teohua Sanchez scored on a one-yard run. Andre Pinedo ran for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.

St. Bonaventure’s next score came early in the second quarter after Harvard-Westlake’s only punt of the first half.

The Seraphs covered 81 yards in 15 plays and scored on a one-yard run by Pinedo. Chris Lombardo added the extra point.

Minutes later, Harvard-Westlake faced fourth and three at the St. Bonaventure 49. But quarterback John Terzian fell while rolling out and the Seraphs took over at the Wolverine 45.

St. Bonaventure scored in five plays on Pinedo’s two-yard run. Sanchez hit Bryce Johnson on a conversion pass for a 23-0 lead.

On the second play of Harvard-Westlake’s next possession, Sam Hornblower fumbled without being touched and Steve Chase recovered at the Wolverine 42.

Two plays later Sanchez threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Pepe Villasenor. Lombardo’s conversion kick closed out the first-half scoring.

Sanchez completed 22 of 26 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns, both to Villasenor, who had 11 catches for 177 yards.

Pinedo carried 24 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

Hornblower carried 17 times for 70 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines also scored on Steve Durbin’s 98-yard kickoff return.