La Habra Beats La Serna With Late Touchdown

Nick Armstrong scored the winning touchdown on a 10-yard reception from Robert Morales with 32 seconds remaining to give La Habra a 28-25 victory over Whittier La Serna Thursday at California High School in Whittier.

Armstrong caught 13 passes for 113 yards and caught two passes for two-point conversions and Jesse Giovannetti rushed for 139 yards in 24 carries and scored two touchdowns for La Habra (5-0).

The Highlanders took an early lead on a three-yard Giovannetti touchdown in the first quarter.

After La Serna pulled even, 7-7, La Habra’s Paul Sumners blocked a punt and the ball went out of the end zone for a safety to give the Highlanders the lead at halftime, 9-7.

The teams exchanged touchdowns and leads with La Serna with 1:30 left to go ahead, 25-20. But Armstrong’s final two catches of the night finished off La Serna.

In other nonleague games:

Western 43, Santa Ana Valley 18--Western scored 18 points off Santa Ana Valley turnovers at Santa Ana Stadium.

Both teams won league titles a year ago and advanced to the second round of the Division V playoffs, but are hobbled by graduation losses. Western won for only the second time this year; Santa Ana Valley fell to 0-5.

After Western took a 9-6 lead five minutes into the second quarter, things started to turn ugly for Santa Ana Valley.

A mishandled pitch was recovered by Western’s Matt Stanley at the Falcon eight, and Robertson scored on a four-yard run two plays later to increase the lead to 17-6. Three plays later the Pioneers to get the ball back: Jimmy Conway intercepted a Silvas pass at the Santa Ana Valley 42. A 42-yard field goal by Josh Arionus made it 20-6.

Western scored three touchdowns in a five-minute span of the second half.

Silvas threw for 234 yards on 15-of-28 passing. Save caught nine passes for 178 yards.