Valencia Runs Into Rough Spot Leading to 38-14 Hart Victory

Something had to be done, and quick.

So how about zero seconds.

Players from Hart and Valencia highs began heading for the locker room after an apparent interception by Manuel White of Valencia ended the first half of their Foothill League football game Thursday night at College of the Canyons, but referees stopped them.

A roughing the passer penalty was called and Hart got another chance.

Don’t ever give Hart another chance.

Kyle Boller threw a 29-yard laser-beam to Jerry Owens, streaking across the back of the end zone, sparking a sputtering Hart offense and propelling the Indians to a 38-14 victory.

Had White’s interception stood, Valencia would have trailed, 17-7, at halftime, but instead it was 24-7 and Hart’s offense was back to its usual self.

“That play was a big momentum switch,” said Coach Mike Herrington, who notched the 100th victory of his Hart career. “We got off to a slow start but we came up with the big plays when we needed them.”

Another big play came on Hart’s previous drive.

Facing fourth down and 22 at the Valencia 36-yard line, Boller lofted a pass to the end zone where Shane Lavoie, camped under it like a center fielder waiting for a fly ball, somehow came down with it between four Valencia defenders for a 17-7 Hart lead.

“They had two plays that were big for them,” said Coach Brian Stiman of Valencia, who criticized the call on the last play of the first half.

“It was ridiculous, totally ridiculous,” he said.

Boller, who finished with a season-low 264 yards and two touchdowns while completing 16 of 26 passes, had his interception-free streak end at 241 throws when a failed quick kick turned into a desperation pass that was picked off by Rick Zeller.

Valencia turned the interception into a 12-yard touchdown run by White that trimmed Hart’s lead to 24-14.

Boller recovered to engineer a devastating four-play, 65-yard scoring drive that included pass plays of 32 yards to Billy Brecht and 31 yards to Owens, giving Hart a 31-14 lead midway through the third quarter.

Valencia drove to the Hart one on its next possession, but an illegal motion penalty and a third-down sack by Brandon Mackabee stifled the drive.

Hart responded with an uncharacteristic 15-play drive that featured 13 consecutive running plays and took 9:26 off the clock. Boller capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:29 left.

“We said, ‘Hey, we have this one in the bag if we don’t give them the ball,’ ” Herrington said of calling the running plays.

Owens dropped two passes for touchdowns in the first half, but redeemed himself by calling the play at the end of the first half.

“I ran to coach and said let’s run Big Ben again,’ ” he said. “That was a real pick-me-up for my confidence.”

Owens finished with five catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.

White, who was questionable because of a knee injury, had 121 yards and two touchdowns in 25 carries.

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Boller Watch

A game-by-game look at how Kyle Boller of Hart High has fared this season:

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Opponent Com. Att. Yds. I TD Quartz Hill 25 42 422 1 5 Thousand Oaks 22 44 399 0 3 Sylmar 13 21 269 0 5 Palmdale 22 36 348 0 6 Loyola 22 41 362 0 2 Saugus 25 31 398 0 6 Burroughs 28 39 426 0 5 Valencia 16 26 264 1 2 Totals 173 280 2888 2 34

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The national record for passing yards in a season is 4,654.