Saugus Is at a Loss Again, 42-6

It was the final play of the game but Saugus High was doing what it did for most of its 42-6 loss to Palmdale on Friday night at College of the Canyons.

Scrambling.

Palmdale backup quarterback Johnathan Thompson had just run a sneak 49 yards for a touchdown with six seconds left.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Centurion return team was moving back and forth with screams coming from the sidelines about where everyone should be positioned.

That was a microcosm of the game, according to Saugus Coach Ron Hilton.

“I don’t really have an answer for it right now,” said Hilton, whose team allowed 44 points in a loss to Santa Barbara last week. “Either we’re not doing a good job coaching or the players aren’t doing a good job getting it done.”

Palmdale (2-0) had its way with the Centurions (0-2) on both sides of the ball.

The Falcons rushed for 224 yards, led by Jason Anderson’s 82 yards in nine carries. Anderson aggravated a wrist injury and did not play the fourth quarter.

Palmdale stifled a Saugus offense that amassed 498 yards last week. Saugus had 248 against the Falcons, who created three turnovers that turned into 11 points.

“We did scout them in their first game,” Palmdale Coach Jeff Williams said. “So we had a game plan and it worked pretty good.

“They had some big gainers but it was nothing they could go back to. Our guys might get fooled once, but they’re not going to get fooled twice.”

Palmdale led, 11-0, late in the half on a 77-yard pass play from Grant Livermont to Horacio Diaz, and a 44-yard field goal by Anthony Valentino when Falcon linebacker Matt Hendricks delivered a crushing blow.

Hendricks intercepted Travis Ivey’s pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown and the Falcons took a 19-0 halftime lead.

The Falcons drove 63 yards in eight plays after receiving the second-half kickoff, and sealed the victory with a one-yard touchdown run by Shaun Perez that put Palmdale up, 26-0. The drive was highlighted by 36- and 29-yard runs by Anderson when Saugus defenders were nowhere to be found.

The Centurions gained most of their yardage through the air. Ivey completed 12 of 20 passes for 139 yards, but threw two interceptions.