Contreras Toughs It Out for Sylmar

Sylmar High running back David Contreras appeared to be done after he left with a shoulder injury with 51 seconds remaining.

But it takes more than that to keep the 5-foot-8 senior off the field.

Hurting from a possible dislocated shoulder, Contreras came back to kick a 31-yard field goal with six seconds remaining and the Spartans pulled out a 30-27 nonleague victory Friday night over Chatsworth at Sylmar High.

“I had to come back,” Contreras said. “If you’re a Spartan, you have to be tougher than that.”

After the field goal by Contreras, Chatsworth (1-4) had one more chance from its own 27, but Matt Cassel’s desperation pass fell incomplete at the Sylmar 45 as time expired.

Sylmar (3-2) appeared to be in control after Contreras scored on a one-yard run with 7:32 remaining to give the Spartans a 27-13 lead.

The Chancellors, though, responded with two touchdowns in the final six minutes to tie it.

The first came on a five-yard run by Cassel with 5:36 remaining. The extra point, however, was blocked by Sylmar’s Eddie Gomez.

On Sylmar’s next possession, Chatsworth’s Rafael Cansino stripped the ball from Cedro Medina and was tackled at the Sylmar five.

Two plays later, Cansino ran two yards for a touchdown, and Cassel ran for the two-point conversion to tie it.

“We kept coming back and that says a lot about us to be able to move the ball when we had to,” Sylmar coach Jeff Engilman said.

That set the stage for Sylmar’s final 63-yard drive which ended in Contreras’ field goal.

Contreras gained 125 yards rushing in 29 carries. Sylmar held Chatsworth to 228 yards.