San Fernando Beats Taft for Fifth Victory

Determined to prove that four nonleague victories against weak opponents was no fluke, San Fernando High sent a powerful message Friday night with a 25-20 victory over defending City champion Taft.

“We love cupcakes,” assistant coach Tom Hernandez shouted moments after Bobby Stanley batted down a Brandon Hance pass in the end zone with no time left to preserve the Tigers’ fifth consecutive victory and secure their best start since 1991.

Stanley rushed for 162 yards in 30 carries and scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Thomas Hoohuli completed seven of 14 passes for 146 yards.

“All I know is we’re 5-0 and they’re 1-4,” Coach Sean Blunt of San Fernando said. “We’re still rolling.”

The Tigers were reeling in the second half after Taft rallied from a 19-6 halftime deficit. Hance, disgusted with his teammates’ lack of intensity, almost single-handedly brought the Toreadors back.

He threw touchdown passes of 29 and 12 yards to Greig Carlson in the third quarter, giving the Toreadors a 20-19 lead.

With momentum changing, San Fernando faced a decisive moment on the first play of the fourth quarter. On third and 19 from the Tiger 39, Hernandez called a middle screen to flanker Gerardo Rubi. Hoohuli got him the ball, San Fernando’s huge offensive line made the blocks and Rubi raced 47 yards to the Taft 14. Two plays later, Stanley scored from the one, putting the Tigers on top, 25-20.

But Hance wasn’t finished. Refusing to accept the Toreadors’ losing ways, he made one last bid to get his team in the end zone. Taft took over the ball on its own 18, and for the next nine minutes, Hance made a series of clutch plays to keep the drive alive.

He ran 12 yards on third-and-five from the Taft 37. He connected with Carlson for seven yards on fourth and two from the San Fernando 43. He connected Carlson for 20 yards on fourth and four from the San Fernando 31.

In the end, Hance had no answer for Steve Nevarez, San Fernando’s 285-pound All-City tackle. On fourth and 22 from the San Fernando 23 with 1:49 left, Hance lost the ball while Nevarez was closing in for the sack. It was the 16th play of an unforgettable drive. But the Toreadors had been stopped.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Hance said of Nevarez. “We had a battle with him the whole game.”

Incredibly, Taft was given one more chance when San Fernando botched its opportunity to run out the clock. On fourth down from the Tigers’ 27 with nine seconds left, Hoohuli was supposed to take the snap, scramble and use up the time. But there was a bad snap, and Hoohuli was tackled on the 12 with five seconds left, giving Taft possession. But Hance was stopped again.

“We have some serious things we have to overcome,” Coach Troy Starr of Taft said. “There’s no quick fixes.”

San Fernando punished the Toreadors by handing the ball off to Stanley again and again. He’d run behind Nevarez and right tackle Frank Nolasco, leaving Taft with a helpless feeling.

Linebacker Brandon Walker of Taft broke through twice in the second half to make tackles for losses to disrupt the Tigers’ offense. Walker rushed for 75 yards and scored on a 34-yard touchdown run.

Raul Menjivar, a transfer from San Fernando, was ejected after taking a swing at a Tiger tackler on a kickoff. Offensive tackle Isaias Sanchez of San Fernando was later ejected for taunting.